Starfish Community

After seeing a number of updates from around Padang and the response to the earthquakes from 2 weeks ago, there has been little definitive news regarding any extra communications that may have been brought into the area by the responders. It is possible there was not anything extra brought in.

Does anyone know of special systems or tools that have been used by responders?

Also, we have heard of teams repairing the local systems and cell phone coverage has seemed fairly present throughout the response. Has anyone heard definitive reports on major changes in local access?

If you've heard updates, please share them and/or good sources for finding more.

Hi Matt,

did you get the info that Mike Adams from FEBC set up their 107.7 FM emergency station radio within 72 hours of the disaster at Pariaman area ? This was mainly to the fact that Mike was training some folks in Jakarta ... and he flew over to set up together with a local person there who's maintaining the station when he left on Sunday.

Mike Adams http://www.febc.org/about/m_adams.html

Saw some amateur radio equipment at the Governor's House operated by a lone Ham operator - voice communications. at [HTML_REMOVED] ORARI Lokal Padang

Sorry Matt, not sure if this info helps but thot it might give an indication to whats happening on the ground there.

CharlesNgui in Singapore

Here a couple of pictures from the Padang area.

Attachments: s06_20605317.jpg s27_20602535.jpg

Matt,

As Charles said, I was on the ground there in Padang and Pariaman from Oct 4th.

There was a cluster group for Emerg Telecoms (ETC) set up and mostly they were setting up VSAT for internet connectivity at the Govenors house in Padang and also at the Govenors office in Pariaman. There was wifi enabled at both places as well.

Within a few days we saw a local telecoms company had brought an temporary cellphone setup into Pariaman - they brought it down from Banda Aceh where it had been for the last 5 years.

My assesment on the whole was that thru local companies and TSF most of the connectivity needs were being met - even by day 4/5 after the quake.

Quick question... is ETC a solid, understood term among those that make disaster response their business? If you can help educate me and others in the SFC, I think that would be really great.

Thx Mike for the reply/additional info.

Matt W