Overcoming the infrastructure, access, and training challenges to technology, particularly internet access, has been a fairly common theme for me over the last several months...for the most part, observing the struggles of developing nations in Africa and the South Pacific. With Katrina, the tables have been turned ever so slightly (at least temporarily) and there are hundreds of technically savy individuals (by global standards) scattered over several hundred square miles along the coast who find themselves disconnected from the rest of the world.
Community Network Technology (CNT), an Illinois non-profit organization, arrived in the coastal region yesterday to begin installations of Wi-Fi infrastructure to assist first responders and evacuees. CNT already has a few images online and they are blogging their venture here. On a recent post, some of their objectives for Gulfport were explained:
"We’re going to try to get them 10 VoIP phones per shelter, and 2-5 laptops or PCs per. We’re going to need at least ten mesh nodes, but I’m awaiting details on the topology. And the whole thing could be scuttled if we can’t get a backhaul link to the Internet somewhere. WISPs are out of the question ’cause they lost all their towers. Hopefully they have a T1 or DS3 or something live in a city facility. Cross your fingers."
There are tons of 'what-ifs' that they are already facing, but I love the entrepreneurial and humanitarian spirit of this team of technologists...it is a microcosm of what many developing nations face, with the exception that most nations are without as many resources. I am hoping they have a videographer with them, I can envision any number of great stories coming out of this.