Photo by Totem Graphics Inc.
Open for data entry again at Wiki’s page for KatrinaList
Go to page, then look on right side of page under “People Finder Volunteer”, click on the second item down,”People Finder Assignments” to get to the actual lists to claim. Don’t know if they changed the instructions for the process, I just got their email and flew over here to post it for all you folks who have gotten involved. Happy Data Entry!!!
Oh I almost forgot… for those of you who do not know what this is. Wiki is collecting the many of thousands of posts of storm victims… both lost and found, and entering all info into a huge central database so victim’s and their families and friends can have one central place to search. I can tell you, it’s eyestraining and heartwrenching at times but very cathartic, just knowing that your efforts could be the difference. You only do what you can.
READYYYYYYYYYY……… TYPE!!!
Thank heavens that Wiki has taken this on. Is it worth it???:
“Within 24 hours of the storm, more than 15,000 records were entered into the database.
At the outset of the disaster, The Times-Picayune Web site, NOLA.com (http://www.NOLA.com), posted missing-person accounts that told of nightmare conditions in a city adrift. As of Sept. 5, the Missing Persons Database contained 22,592 people and averaged close to 30 million viewers. Source: NY Observer (http://www.observer.com/media_offtherecord-2.asp)
Within 7 days of the storm, more than 85,000 records obtained from forums and other sites were manually entered into the central repository by volunteers.”
Oh yeah, it’s worth our time and a little eyestrain, so come on… join in!
Thanks, Nag! I surfed over there last nite to see if they were back up yet, but was too tired to post an update here.
I see they have a new data entry form which is accessible form the main page. I noticed that links to the old one still exist on some of the pages. I don’t know if it makes a difference, but I’d suggest using the new one. They now also have a new searchable site as a result of this compilation: Katrina List Network.
I have a question for thsoe of you who’ve been entering data: do you include the complete text of the messages in the “Other” or “Text” boxes? I thought “Other” was for more personal detail about the missing person and that “Text”, since it’s under the “Found” area, was for info relating to that.
I did some searches last nite on names I could remember that I had entered and some of the results, typed by other volunteers, show those complete messages in those “Other” and “Text” areas, so if anyone knows what the rules are concerning that, please let me know. Thanks.
I had thought Wiki was going to contact us when it was up and running again, so I’m glad I checked back on my own so I can get back to it.
Thanks again to everyone who has worked so hard to make this happen. There’s still so much work to do. I hope we can find more volunteers to get it all done.
I’ve been using the ‘text’ box… I also assumed that ‘other’ meant other information on the missing person. As long as it’s all included, that’s what counts. Yeah, there’s still a monumental amount if info. I’m glad that so many BeeTribbers have jumped right in.
Not related, I’ve been having major problems accessing this site today. From hanging forever, to refusal of service to timing out. Seems ok now, hope it’s fixed.
I thought “Message” was for the message from the searcher, but it looks like it might be for a message from the found (or “missing”) person.
Just finished my first round — some people are looking for so many folks, it’s heartbreaking. 🙁 I tried to do a separate listing for each person looked for, so that if one family member is searching under their name, they don’t get lost amidst a list of other family members. Not sure if that’s the right way to do it, but as someone with experience with databases, that’s usually the way to go.
Need to go shower, have lunch, then possibly tackle another batch of data…
Heartbreaking, isn’t it? I do what you do… one form per person, and I also do one form with everybody on it. Wiki is wanting people to make multiple entries if there’s a mistake, or omission, etc. It’s our call as the entry people. Thanks for your time and effort. Every entry could be the one that unites people. It’s been cathartic for me… sometimes I sob, sometimes I pray, but I keep going back. Those Poor people.
I did this on one where I wasn’t sure I had the right name (post was very unspecific) — I used the description field to do a cross-reference with spouse’s name and the number of children in the family (since their names weren’t specified). I’ll try to do that on future entries, it might help people to identify if they’re the right person being looked for.
Great idea, Cali Scribe. I think the idea is to get as much of the information listed somewhere on that form. If someone does a search it’s that kind of info that can often lead to indentifying a person. Great job.
has been devoting their #1 story (the final segment of the show) to Katrina victims looking for family or letting family/friends know they’re okay. Supposedly, MSNBC has been doing the segments all day, but Countdown is the only one I’ve seen. Props to them.
[And props to bringing back “Worst Person In The World” to highlight the incompetence and callousness of many — I’ll know we’re back to normal when “Oddball” returns though…]