Ideas for crisis response services

http://www.informationweek.com/news/services/disaster_recovery/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=222301454

This article talks about the relief efforts in Haiti, and how tech-savvy volunteers are utilizing their skills in the recovery. I think that this group, called CrisisCommons, has some good ideas about using technology in disaster recovery efforts. While ARES groups wouldn't necessarily have the skills to provide these types of offerings (Web site exchanges for supplies, language translation applications for iPhones, etc), perhaps there is some way to partner with groups like this to utilize our radio equipment and expertise to facilitate these services on the ground. Keep each group focused on their own strengths, but by working together, teams of volunteers could provide much more than simple voice communications. Modern-day technology necessitates the use of some pretty hefty data transfer rates, and ham radio operators need to start thinking about how they can offer that to agencies and other volunteer groups when normal infrastructure is unavailable.

Microsoft's Disaster response team

Here's an article about how Microsoft has their own corporate disaster response team who travel to disaster sites, and help with getting technology up and running for the responders and agencies on the ground.

http://www.infoworld.com/t/government-use-it/microsoft-brings-tech-help-in-disasters-902

Granted, their support and the services they offer will be very MS-centric (things like Sharepoint and Groove collaboration software), but this is a great idea for an ARES group -- prepare a small server infrastructure in advance of a disaster with the type of tools your served agencies would find useful. Then you can establish an HSMM link between locations (for example, between the EOC and a field location) to facilitate the transfer of application data and voice traffic as well.