DERA Teleconference Service to Organizations/Responders

[Jay Wilson]

DERA is providing disaster organizations and emergency responders with a service that provides free teleconference bridging for up to 150 participants.

Participants pay for their own long distance call into the server.

DERA provides the conference server at no cost to organizations or participants. Again, callers pay normal long distance charges and nothing else.

Our system can support up to 150 participants on each call.

Details below:

Dial-in number: 1-218-862-6420

International: + 001 218 862 6420

Conference Access Code: 527-3257 # (Pound Key)

-----Rules of Use------

1. All calls must be in support of Haiti disaster operations.

2. Only one teleconference at a time can be supported.

... The moderator for your call should call the dial-in number and log in with the access code, above.

... If no conference is in progress, the moderator should stay on the line and let any other callers know that you are in the process of setting up a call.

... If a conference is in progress, the moderator should wait for a break in the conference and announce "I need to speak with the moderator." When the moderator answers, briefly explain that you need to set up another call and find out when the existing teleconference will end.

... Your moderator should call back to the conference line a few minutes before the scheduled closing time of the ongoing call and log in. When the old conference ends, remain on the line, announcing "This is (your name) I am the moderator for a new teleconference for (organization).

... When your moderator has established control of the conference bridge, invite your participants to call in. We have found that SMS (short text messages to cell phones or Blackberries), or broadcasting a tweet allows you to get your participants online within two or three minutes if everyone is prepared.

3. After your call has ended, please have your moderator send us a short email with the title TELECONFERENCE REPORT, that tells us the name of your organization, brief subject of the call, length of the call, and the approximate number of participants. Email to: reports@disasters.org

4. Please feel free to use this service as much as you need and to share this information with other response organizations. However, please do not allow misuse of the service. The members of DERA are funding this service so that response organizations can better respond to the disaster in Haiti, and unnecessary calls not only drain our limited funds, they tie up the service so that those with legitimate need cannot access it.

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For more about DERA, please visit us at: www.disasters.org

If you wish to help fund this project along with our other disaster services, please go to our online donation portal at: www.disasters.org/dera/donate.htm


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