Looks like this is moving forward again, thanks in part to last night's discussion on Free Talk Live. We now have (barely) enough people to provide coverage on the phone number, so you should consider Porc-911 up and running.
The number is 1-866-603-0911.
I don't yet know what sorts of things this will be used for, so the service is pretty minimal right now. Use it whenever you are in a circumstance where you might otherwise call Porc-411, but you need to speak to a live human being.
(In the unlikely event that a live human being is unable to answer, you'll be diverted to Porc-411 and you can leave a message there as usual.)
As we begin to see how this system gets used, I'll add services around it, for the people who take the calls, to provide them with whatever communications needs seem appropriate. Or, if you have an idea of how this system might be used and what a person answering the call might need to do, post the scenario and I'll start designing the necessary services to meet that need.
Quote from: error on August 28, 2007, 11:51 PM NHFT
I'm already paying for Porc-411 and now Porc-911 (which may be even more expensive since I have to pay per minute for it). I'm not springing for an answering service.
Quote from: Hollywood on August 28, 2007, 08:09 PM NHFT
Beavis gets cool phone numbers.
I do what I can.
Quote from: Russell Kanning on August 29, 2007, 04:53 AM NHFT
What about having the number sent to one person and if it isn't answered after so many rings it moves on to the next?
I'll help anyway I can if somebody lets me know what I'd have to do and what equipment I'd need.
Quote from: raineyrocks on June 03, 2008, 12:48 PM NHFT
I'll help anyway I can if somebody lets me know what I'd have to do and what equipment I'd need.
At minimum, you need a phone and a computer with Internet access.
Quote from: error on June 03, 2008, 01:24 PM NHFT
Quote from: raineyrocks on June 03, 2008, 12:48 PM NHFT
I'll help anyway I can if somebody lets me know what I'd have to do and what equipment I'd need.
At minimum, you need a phone and a computer with Internet access.
I have both so just let me know how I can help.
This is just awesome. Perhaps the first post should be updated.
Since the original post on the thread was from an old 'error' account, I split the topic at the post of interest. The original thread is at http://nhunderground.com/forum/index.php?topic=14243.0.
And that was itself split off.
I do have a couple of problems you all can help with, though:
- More volunteers are needed to take calls. Send me a PM with your phone number and times of day you can take calls. You don't have to sit by the phone all day, but just give some idea of when you're generally available and not usually busy.
- In order to get the right communications services around this number, I need usage scenarios. Post below about how you would be likely to use this number instead of Porc-411 or State-911.
Thanks!
I don't use any government 911 anymore .... so I would use it for anything where other guys could help me .... it would be for quick info ... not to record my conversation with a cop or something.
Error -
I love what you have done, and I want to interview you about it at Porcfest. I think manually scheduling could take a lot of time down the road.
Have you considered some kind of IM based group that people can sign into? When logged in, a script would see who's online, and dynamically update the 800# POTS translation. That way there is no sign up list to manage, and if the script writes out the login info, you can see where the gaps are, while giving people the flexibility they need. My schedule doesn't allow say 8-5 every Tuesday because I travel some weeks.
Also, am I allowed to call if I'm harassed by the BLG in Texas? I really want it recorded in case I'm without a camera, and having a human in-front of a computer would be extremely valuable. I'm going to prepay for my first 5 incidents at Porcfest. :) Also, down the road, it would be useful to create a profile with emergency contact info (or whatever I wanted) linked to my name and phone number. The operator could look it up during a call, and it could save time spelling out email addresses, phone numbers, etc.
I think we are seeing the beginning of a voluntary protection service. :)
Sam
Quote from: SamIam on June 05, 2008, 04:51 PM NHFT
I love what you have done, and I want to interview you about it at Porcfest. I think manually scheduling could take a lot of time down the road.
No problem. Get hold of me at or before PorcFest and I'll be happy to talk about it.
Quote from: SamIam on June 05, 2008, 04:51 PM NHFT
Have you considered some kind of IM based group that people can sign into? When logged in, a script would see who's online, and dynamically update the 800# POTS translation. That way there is no sign up list to manage, and if the script writes out the login info, you can see where the gaps are, while giving people the flexibility they need. My schedule doesn't allow say 8-5 every Tuesday because I travel some weeks.
This is a great idea. And it ties into the apps I'm building now. So this will probably come about shortly.
Quote from: SamIam on June 05, 2008, 04:51 PM NHFT
Also, am I allowed to call if I'm harassed by the BLG in Texas? I really want it recorded in case I'm without a camera, and having a human in-front of a computer would be extremely valuable. I'm going to prepay for my first 5 incidents at Porcfest. :) Also, down the road, it would be useful to create a profile with emergency contact info (or whatever I wanted) linked to my name and phone number. The operator could look it up during a call, and it could save time spelling out email addresses, phone numbers, etc.
You can call from Texas if you want, though I really don't know how much help we'll be up here in New Hampshire. We can't dispatch backup to Texas... As for maintaining profiles, that's also a great idea.
Quote from: SamIam on June 05, 2008, 04:51 PM NHFT
I think we are seeing the beginning of a voluntary protection service. :)
Could be.
I've thought a bit more about this. If I called from outside the shire, I would primarily want it recorded and in my profile would be contact information for a few people I would want informed.
This got me thinking about the profile and what might be in there. Depending on the situation, I would like various people/groups, alerted to my situation. Having an operator who can relay messages to the proper people would be invaluable. My profile could even contain codes I define to tell the operator who to call. Code 1 might be a post to forums, while code 2 would request activists on site, code 3 would request open carry observers to the scene, and code 4 would entail codes 1-3 and alert family members. Each person could literally make up whatever codes they wanted, and have what ever actions they deem appropriate executed as defined in the profile.
It could also have a section that records my private fire service and protection service as they become available and I hire them. I would of course want strict controls on record access, the data encrypted, and access to my records logged and made available to me.
Have all this information available to the operator I'm on the phone with and you have created an invaluable service that beats the pants off of the government's emergency service. They don't even know who I am when I call, and only offer to send their men to take control of the situation. Notifying my friends and family about something? Forget it! They don't care about that, because there's no competition to drive better service.
Error - I think you have really stumbled onto a great method for developing new free market products and services. The fact that it's volunteer means a) that your doing it in the most effective way possible, b) it's a good idea because the bad ones won't attract critical mass to get off the ground, and c) as demand grows, it will be quite easy for people to break away and start offering a portion of the service, with more guarantees for a fee. (i.e. Noted in my profile would be my account/contract with professional fire and protection service that offers guarantees)
The traditional business model is to get a large amount of money, figure out an implementation plan, and hope it works. Doing it the way you have chosen is a more organic approach, sensitive to market needs, and ensures the service develops as the market demands. This is brilliant.
Calling Porc911 and leaving a short message of where you are and what is happening could be enough.
That info could start people looking at court records or arrest records in the case that the caller isn't heard from again.
Kind of a "worst case" scenario.
Is Porc 911 still in use (I'd don't know if i could and test)?
If it is, I don't mind volunteering.
:D Ever consider using trixbox for porc-911. Trixbox is an open source asterisk based IP switch with mind boggling capabilities. You can setup find me/follow me to reroute the calls to multiple destinations. With ring groups multiple extensions at different off site locations can simultaneously ring. Anyone with broadband internet can have an extension and it can also route calls to PSTN or cell numbers. It will run on almost any modern x86 hardware with at least 256 MB RAM.. Check this out.
http://www.trixbox.org
trixbox friendly carriers
http://teliax.com
http://www.voicepulse.com/connect/
You're way behind the curve there, wolf.
Error- educate me please
Can someone summarize for me which jails in the state have regular pay phones and which have those collect call monstrosities, or both? I have an idea brewing but I need more information.
Merrimack County: you had a phone card to call out on. Couldn't call to cell phones. Someone had to be there to accept a call from a prisoner.
Quote from: Kat Kanning on February 01, 2010, 06:49 AM NHFT
Merrimack County: you had a phone card to call out on. Couldn't call to cell phones. Someone had to be there to accept a call from a prisoner.
Hm. What did it look like? A regular pay phone, or one of the prison specials?
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mCPuaEPZ4co/RgWTo57hdzI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/gWr570Dl-_U/s320/payPhone.jpg)
(http://voiceswitch.com/images/150_150_Prison_Phone2.jpg)
If I recall correctly Valley St. Jail had regular-looking pay phones in 07.
strafford co ..... didn't see phones
rockingham .... blue phone .... calling card from canteen
cheshire .... blue phone .... collect calls only
ministry of love in concord .... electrodes
(http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/rje0112l.jpg)
Tonight, Jason Talley and I got to talking about Porc 911. Michael Hampton pointed out all the system needs is volunteers to get it back up and running.
We decided it needed to be re-branded and we also have a new phone number. The new system is "Shire 911", and we're looking for dispatchers and first responders. Please drop into http://www.facebook.com/groups/shire911/ (http://www.facebook.com/groups/shire911/) and request to join the group if you'd like to help. Thanks!
P.S. If you don't want to help with Shire 911, there is also a fanpage that you can like. We'll announce the number and website soon.
can you guys also brainstorm and plan on freekeene or somewhere?
If people not on FB would like to help, they can PM me here with their phone number and what hours they can act as dispatcher.
Thanks to everyone who has stepped up to assist, Porcupine 911 is back... as Shire 911.
http://shire911.com (http://shire911.com)
There is also now a Shire 911 forum as part of the new Shire Society forums: http://forum.shire911.com (http://forum.shire911.com)
Special thanks to error for the tech side and Fr33Agents (http://fr33agents.com) for the web hosting.