[HOT] COVID-19 - How you can help

[Jeff McKenna]

Please also share the FOSS Responders initiative, as a way to 
communicate and share, the first website version was released yesterday 
https://fossresponders.com/

-jeff


--
Jeff McKenna
FOSS4G co-founder




On 2020-03-17 11:00 a.m., Russell Deffner wrote:
> Dear HOT Community,
> 
> 
> We have been receiving more and more inquiries about our response to 
> COVID-19, also known as the Corona-virus, so we thought it prudent to 
> put together a message of what we are doing, and willing to do, 
> regarding mapping for this response.
> 
> 
> NOTE: HOT suggests remote mapping events only while COVID-19 remains a 
> significant threat to public health. We have some guidance on how to 
> conduct a successful remote-mapathon 
> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Shy05ZnRJp5xSbZWcUH_41caBNaV2yzazECbN5ngwOU/edit?usp=sharing>from 
> our partners in Missing Maps. Heed local warnings and restrictions 
> before attending any mapping events in person or mapping in the field.
> 
> 
> As always, we respond to formal requests, typically from partners such 
> as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International, the Red Cross/Red 
> Crescent societies and others to our Activation Working Group email and 
> Slack disaster-mapping channel. This does not guarantee an Activation by 
> HOT as we still need to assess that what we ask of our volunteers - you 
> - is obtainable in a timeframe that will result in assisting the response.
> 
> 
> In regards to COVID-19, HOT has not yet received an official request. In 
> light of that, we are suggesting that local OpenStreetMap Chapters & 
> Communities make the discovery and launch projects to map those 
> resources that are lacking in your area. HOT is here to assist with 
> identifying those resources and where they are lacking, getting projects 
> set-up on the Tasking Manager, or if needed, getting you trained and 
> on-boarded to create projects for your community, as well as 
> communication/recruiting mappers from the crowd to help with your 
> mapping efforts.
> 
> 
> NOTE: For healthcare and aid organizations looking for geospatial data, 
> we continually push OpenStreetMap extracts to the Humanitarian Data 
> eXchange (HDX) <https://data.humdata.org/>. We are currently working to 
> ensure updates for the most impacted countries are available. Do let us 
> know if you have data needs not being met!
> 
> 
> In order to make an impact on COVID-19, HOT will rely heavily on local 
> communities. While we work with partners to identify things that can be 
> achieved on a global scale; we encourage you to look for things you can 
> do locally to assist health care and aid workers nearby. Here’s a short 
> list of things you and your local OSM community can do to prepare for 
> and reduce the longevity of COVID-19...
> 
> 
>  1.
> 
>     Start by comparing the completeness of healthcare facilities in
>     OpenStreetMap here:https://healthsites.io/map
> 
>  2.
> 
>     You can also use healthsites.io <http://healthsites.io> to directly
>     input missing healthcare facilities and attributes.
> 
>  3.
> 
>     Look at the road network in your area, often in large disease
>     outbreaks it is of critical importance to have a complete road
>     network. Consider using the MapWith.AI <https://www.mapwith.ai>site
>     to speed up the process by having AI assist your road network mapping.
> 
>  4.
> 
>     See if there are other data-sources available (and compatible) for
>     bringing into OpenStreetMap, such as healthcare facilities, major
>     transportation network features, or even buildings in general;
>     follow the import guidelines
>     <https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Import/Guidelines>for including
>     3rd party data.
> 
>  5.
> 
>     Or, map the ‘old-fashioned way’ by digitizing features from
>     satellite imagery.
> 
> 
> And reach out either directly, or by replying to this list, if you need 
> guidance;
> 
> =Russ
> 
> 
> Russell Deffner
> 
> Russell.Deffner at hotosm.org <mailto:Russell.Deffner at hotosm.org>
> 
> Disaster Services Coordinator - Activation Working Group
> 
> Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT)
> 
> hotosm.org <http://hotosm.org>
>