Danny writes:
As such, I ask, are there contingencies for
unanticipated changes in the coming weeks/months? ...
<...>
While something like this recurring is unlikely, it is
probably best
to have
contingencies for just such an event. This could be as simple as
plans in
case the conference must be cancelled at the very last minute, or
contact
numbers for family members of participants in the event of an
emergency
I think privacy concerns would prevent the Foundation's keeping
contact information for everyone's parents and families, extra
personally identifying information and the like (where they would
subject to legal process and perhaps abuse, depending on whether we
kept them privately or publicly). I also don't think the Foundation
is the logical place to focus on being able to contact your family in
the event of an emergency. WikiParenting is not exactly our strength.
See below.
We are considering other contingency planning, of course.
--as simple
as making sure someone is picking up phones in the SF office while
the event
is underway.
Certainly we will have people at the office to answer phones during
Wikimania. I don't think we're going to shoot for 24-hour staffing of
the office, though.
There is lots of standard advice for individuals engaging in foreign
travel, including contacting your local embassy before or after you
arrive and giving them your contact information and likely location.
I don't think the Foundation is in the position to do the work of
multiple embassies in this regard.
Anyone who wants to start up WikiEmbassies, however, has my
encouragement.
---Mike