Summary of Proposed Actions and ICT Strategies for Haiti Relief Efforts from the GAID Community
This summary highlights and promotes ICT strategies that were presented by some members of the GAID community. This also includes, initiatives that were undertaken to support relief efforts in Haiti.
Coordinated Response: GAID members expressed the need for a well-planned and coordinated ICT-related response to this devastation which could perhaps serve as a model for other post-disaster responses. Closer cooperation in the coming weeks with the Haitian Government, United Nations and private sector officials was required to identify ICT-related needs (connectivity and ICT equipment) in the country and to organize a coordinated response.
Open Channels of Communication: The need for channels of communication, to enable smooth flow of information between the local people and the aid workers to support logistical efforts, especially in remote areas, was reiterated.
GAID Strategy to Streamline Efforts: The GAID Secretariat suggested the formulation of a strategy, under the ledership of the Chairman of GAID, to streamline efforts of volunteers from the community.
GAID members proposed the creation of a volunteer committee (of GAID members) to streamline efforts in the current Haitian crisis and future crises.
Telecom Operator: The need to identify a telecom operator (apart from the local telocom operator) in the region, that had infrastructural, as well as, human resource capacity was proposed, to seek necessary assistance from in this hour of need. Telefonica was recommended, since they were members of the Digital Health Advisory Board.
Short-term and Long-term needs: In the immediate term, the implementation of mid-range communications equipment and satellite dishes was recommended. The need for renewable energy sources were also emphasized as a power source for basic connectivity. The use of satellite phones would be practical in the short-term. Long-term initiatives could follow later. It was noted that in the immediate aftermath of such events, trained professionals, along with security forces, were the ones working on the ground and a simple communications mesh (a vital piece to beginning rebuilding efforts in the medium to long term) was needed. In this regard, some GAID members had established contact with Vice-Recteur of Ecole Superieure d’Infotronique d’Haiti to identify the the needs of their institution.
Proposed Short-term Issues that GAID could address: 1) Help fixing the cell-phone networks. 2) Provide connectivity through satellite communications. 3) Set up an emergency portal that would enable victims to call a phone number and access key information.
Guatemala Earthquake Experience: From the Guatemalan experience, GAID members stressed that in the short-term water, medical supplies and doctors/nurses were needed most to save lives. Communications devices were important to coordinate relief efforts and re-connect family and friends. Security for aid supplies and aid workers was also critical.
Support Pledged by GAID Members
1. ICT4peace (GAID Community of Expertise): ICT4peace set up a wiki page (http://inventory.ict4peace.org/Haiti Earthquake - January 2010) which provided an inventory of critical information sources as to strengthen aid, response, recovery and relief efforts in Haiti.
3. GAID Member#1: A GAID member offered his company’s services, as well as, specific ICT tools for use and for collaborative efforts with other initiatives (www.internetspeech.com), to extend the Internet to significantly more people (both in emergency and non-emergency conditions) using any phone.
4. GAID Member#2: The GAID member reiterated willingness to provide his company’s access to Rapid Deployable Shelters that can be deployed in the field in couple of minutes with one/two persons and can be configured for temporary hospital, medical facility, homeless shelters, schools, phone/internet booths or temporary offices to manage the task force and relief workers.
5. Gaid Member#3: Offered to provide communication and connectivity services through his company-- Sintel Satellite Services.
Support Pledged by Others
Ericsson: The company announced that it was providing essential aid through its usual channel, the Ericsson Response Program. The UN has requested Ericsson to deploy its Ericsson Response organization to aid relief work in disaster-stricken Haiti. Ericsson has kept twenty volunteers on standby and will now send four (all telecom experts) to set up a container-based mini GSM-system to enable mobile communication in the area. Personnel and equipment will arrive in Haiti using UN transportation.
CARICOM: The organization will be partnering with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and to convey queries from GAID to CDEMA.
ITU: The organization has announced their efforts to bring ICT related relief to Haiti, “Forty satellite terminals are being deployed immediately to re-establish basic communication links and a further 60 units with broadband facility are being dispatched along with experts to operate them. ITU will also set up a Qualcomm Deployable Base Station (QDBS), a reliable, responsive and complete cellular system designed to enable vital wireless communications aimed at strengthening response and recovery mechanisms in a disaster zone. ITU has allocated a budget of over USD 1 million to strengthen the disaster response effort in Haiti. In this context ITU will pay for the transportation and use of all the equipment being provided for this relief effort and in addition will provide a team of engineers, who will install and deploy the equipment. The team will also assist with assessments aimed at rehabilitating the disrupted and destroyed telecommunication networks.” Other stakeholders who wished to join ITU’s efforts are to contact Cosmas Zavazava, Chief of Division, Emergency Telecommunications, ITU via phone 41 22 730 5447 or e-mail: coscmas.zavazava@itu.int.
SES Astra (Luxembourg): The company will provide some satellite capacity for Haiti.
ICT Tools
Missing Persons website by David Waters: He is working to create a site of pictures of missing persons in Haiti, which would allow friends and families to identify one another via pictures on the website. He also sought guidance in getting into Haiti operationally to work on enhancing communications, crisis information, etc.
Sahana (ICT tool): This ICT tool was created initially for the 2004 Tsunami relief effort and is making a sizeable impact to the situation in Haiti. The website is a free and open source disaster management system that provides users tools to coordinate, locate, and generally find out what others are doing in their respective critical recovery efforts, and is meant to enhance coordination among all of the various groups. http://www.sahana.lk/
GAID's Mandate and Capacity
GAID members agreed that GAID could only help foster partnerships and ideas about the best ways to help Haiti and other countries in crisis using transformative technologies. GAID could not operate as a field mission, because of its mandate and operational capacity. GAID should continue to formulate long-term strategies to address the situation in Haiti.