I'm back in Fort Pierce again tonight. After working late again last night to make sure all equipment was working before my departure, I crawled into a borrowed tent and fell asleep in record time. In stark contrast to being so hot under the blazing sun during the day, I woke up cold and pulled a sheet over me for the last hour. At 7 AM I was up packed, and since there was no breakfast to eat, Dirk and I went over a few last details together. I only had a short time to train him on the GATR, and I needed to give him all the information on it I could before I left. Once you get people used to the kind of high speed connection the GATR provides, you have to make sure you can maintain it, because they won't be happy if something stops working and you don't know how to fix it!
Dirk had told the driver to come pick us up at 8 AM since we needed to be at the airport at 9 AM and it was less than two miles away. Good call on his part, as they were very late and we arrived at the main airport gate after 9 AM. The traffic was jammed in front of the main gate, and there was a large crowd of people. I showed the US military guard my CAC ID and he let us in
Once at the hangar we did a little planning for staffing for the GATR, and I wrote a couple volunteers to start planning their trips. I then went through my duffel and backpack, giving away my hat, Power Bars, Leatherman, mosquito net, water filter, and a few other things that would be useful to people staying on.
I didn't realize how tired I was until I was on the plane, and the flight attendant said, "You look exhausted!" That's when it hit me, and I realized I could finally let down after four days of non-stop activity. My effort was a drop in the bucket as far as what needs to be done to help the people of Haiti. Working together, we will all make a difference, one day at a time.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
I have no idea where to start. I was picked up from the MAF hangar about 10 AM Monday morning. The people from World Concern picking me up couldn't bring their vehicle into the airport area. But they were able to get in, and get a ride over to the hangar. We found someone who would help us take us and our gear out to the World Concern truck, but they dropped us off in the wrong place. I sat with the gear in front of the main terminal, watching C-17s taxi in, helicopters come and go, and huge forklifts shuttling pallets of food and supplies. Finally they came back with a different vehicle, and we loaded up in the back of a pickup, which was able to take us past a huge crowd at the front gate, and over to the World Concern vehicle. From there we drove across town to the World Concern office.
With the help of a few local men, I set up the GATR. Their help was to bring me cement blocks to use in anchoring the GATR. They also assisted me by telling me the elevation angle of the GATR while I was acquiring the satellite signal. I had to really struggle to remember any French I had studied back in 7th grade, and I didn't do very well. By 1:30 the GATR was up and running on solar and battery power, but there was nobody there to use it. The World Concern office will be used as a hub for the members of the Global Relief Alliance, and they are just now starting to ramp up efforts. So when I heard there was a ride available back to the airport, I headed back that way.
The US Air Force has purchased some GATR antennas, and brought some to Haiti to provide communications for special forces. I was able to walk down the full length of the airport to get to them at the far end, to see how they were doing and see if I could help. I bet they never imagined that GATR customer support would be available in Por-au-Prince, Haiti!!
By 5 PM I was back at the World Concern office, and had to take down the GATR, as there was no electricity to keep it running all night, and nobody to use it. I felt so bad, as I knew it hadn't been used all afternoon, and now all night, when so many down at the airport would have loved to use the high-speed connection. That morning I had been asked by Eric Rasmussen, CEO of InSTEDD, if we could provide bandwidth for his efforts. I had told him that I needed to stay my course with the GATR, and provide services to those we had committed to, but that I would see what I could do. By dinner on Monday night I knew I had to take the GATR back to the airport on Tuesday to work with Eric.
After a hot night in a stuffy hotel room, with no working toilet, mosquitoes, and a snoring maniac of a roommate, I headed down to the airport at 9:30 AM. I should mention that Dirk Kaiser was with me, having had arrived in Port-au-Prince Monday afternoon. He is here to take over operation of the GATR when I leave.
Eric was more than a little surprised to see me roll up with all the gear, and very excited at the prospect of having a donated high-speed internet connection to use. He and his team had been using a BGAN satellite terminal, which is not high-speed, and is very expensive. In just two and a half days he had racked up a bill of over $6000!
We have been able to support InSTEDD's work through out the day and evening. I won't try to explain it, and you should read about it here. Suffice it to say, they are a clearinghouse of information that has helped rescue lives from the rubble, using a combination of SMS text messages, e-mail, high-res Google imagery, and mapping software.
I sit now in the dark by the GATR, catching up on e-mail, going through photos, writing reports, and re-hydrating after a very hot day. Eric and his team continues to work on the other side of the GATR. Tomorrow they will be done, as the effort here in Haiti now transitions from one of rescue, to that of relief. There were only two live extractions today, and it is now a week since the earthquake. It is highly unlikely that any more people will be found alive. All around me there are search and rescue teams packing up and pulling out.
Early Wednesday morning Dirk and I will take down the GATR and move over to the UNDAC (United Nations Disaster Assistance and Coordination) office and provide them with the high-speed connection so they can download the satellite imagery they need. The plan is to use the GATR there until Friday or so, and then take it back to the World Concern office for use by the member groups of the Global Relief Agency. Of course, all plans are subject to change, so we'll see how it plays out.
I uploaded some new photos today.
With the help of a few local men, I set up the GATR. Their help was to bring me cement blocks to use in anchoring the GATR. They also assisted me by telling me the elevation angle of the GATR while I was acquiring the satellite signal. I had to really struggle to remember any French I had studied back in 7th grade, and I didn't do very well. By 1:30 the GATR was up and running on solar and battery power, but there was nobody there to use it. The World Concern office will be used as a hub for the members of the Global Relief Alliance, and they are just now starting to ramp up efforts. So when I heard there was a ride available back to the airport, I headed back that way.
The US Air Force has purchased some GATR antennas, and brought some to Haiti to provide communications for special forces. I was able to walk down the full length of the airport to get to them at the far end, to see how they were doing and see if I could help. I bet they never imagined that GATR customer support would be available in Por-au-Prince, Haiti!!
By 5 PM I was back at the World Concern office, and had to take down the GATR, as there was no electricity to keep it running all night, and nobody to use it. I felt so bad, as I knew it hadn't been used all afternoon, and now all night, when so many down at the airport would have loved to use the high-speed connection. That morning I had been asked by Eric Rasmussen, CEO of InSTEDD, if we could provide bandwidth for his efforts. I had told him that I needed to stay my course with the GATR, and provide services to those we had committed to, but that I would see what I could do. By dinner on Monday night I knew I had to take the GATR back to the airport on Tuesday to work with Eric.
After a hot night in a stuffy hotel room, with no working toilet, mosquitoes, and a snoring maniac of a roommate, I headed down to the airport at 9:30 AM. I should mention that Dirk Kaiser was with me, having had arrived in Port-au-Prince Monday afternoon. He is here to take over operation of the GATR when I leave.
Eric was more than a little surprised to see me roll up with all the gear, and very excited at the prospect of having a donated high-speed internet connection to use. He and his team had been using a BGAN satellite terminal, which is not high-speed, and is very expensive. In just two and a half days he had racked up a bill of over $6000!
We have been able to support InSTEDD's work through out the day and evening. I won't try to explain it, and you should read about it here. Suffice it to say, they are a clearinghouse of information that has helped rescue lives from the rubble, using a combination of SMS text messages, e-mail, high-res Google imagery, and mapping software.
I sit now in the dark by the GATR, catching up on e-mail, going through photos, writing reports, and re-hydrating after a very hot day. Eric and his team continues to work on the other side of the GATR. Tomorrow they will be done, as the effort here in Haiti now transitions from one of rescue, to that of relief. There were only two live extractions today, and it is now a week since the earthquake. It is highly unlikely that any more people will be found alive. All around me there are search and rescue teams packing up and pulling out.
Early Wednesday morning Dirk and I will take down the GATR and move over to the UNDAC (United Nations Disaster Assistance and Coordination) office and provide them with the high-speed connection so they can download the satellite imagery they need. The plan is to use the GATR there until Friday or so, and then take it back to the World Concern office for use by the member groups of the Global Relief Agency. Of course, all plans are subject to change, so we'll see how it plays out.
I uploaded some new photos today.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The driver that was coming to pick me up didn't know where the MAF hangar was, I think, and we missed each other. Will try again in the morning. Meanwhile I set the GATR up in front of the hangar to check everything out, and so a couple guys from Operation Blessing could have a faster connection than the BGAN they normally use. They had video to edit and upload for Operation Blessing. One of them, David Darg, has a blog on the BBC website.
I'm off to sleep under my mosquito net draped from the tail of a plane in the hangar. Hoping the roar of jets taking off won't keep me awake--it's 2:30 AM.
I'm off to sleep under my mosquito net draped from the tail of a plane in the hangar. Hoping the roar of jets taking off won't keep me awake--it's 2:30 AM.
I arrived in Port au Prince at about 1:30 PM today. The flight on the Hendrick Motorsports SAAB 2000 was the best. After an hour stop in Provodentiales (Turks and Caicos) for fuel and to time our arrival, we had a short hop over to Haiti. The flight was full, with 30 of us. Most people were doctors or part of a medical team.
In a few minutes I leave, to go where I know not. I'm being picked up and will be doing a site survey for the GATR setup. I'm hoping it's not too far away, but, that remains to be seen. I plan to work as late as it takes tonight to get things set up.
In a few minutes I leave, to go where I know not. I'm being picked up and will be doing a site survey for the GATR setup. I'm hoping it's not too far away, but, that remains to be seen. I plan to work as late as it takes tonight to get things set up.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Going into Haiti on Sunday
The GATR gear is packed, weighed, and waiting in the Missionary Flights International hangar in Fort Pierce, Florida. I'm spending the night here, and will fly into Port au Prince on a Hendrick Motorsport Saab aircraft mid-morning Sunday. The satcom gear will follow, and I hope to begin work Sunday afternoon.
I have no idea how far the World Concern office is from the MAF hangar at the airport, but that is where I will be headed first. The plan is to locate the GATR inflatable satellite antenna there.
Some photos from today have been posted.
I have no idea how far the World Concern office is from the MAF hangar at the airport, but that is where I will be headed first. The plan is to locate the GATR inflatable satellite antenna there.
Some photos from today have been posted.
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