We are currently monitoring the overall situation in Tampa, FL, USA, due to the approaching hurricane Milton over the following hours/days. We are also coordinating our plans with the IEEE NSS/MIC/RTSD conference committee as most of you have combined your travel plans for both the IEEE conference and the ETSI hackathon in downtown Tampa. Currently, it is too early to estimate the impact of the weather in the area, but we will be updating you later this week or early next week after the hurricane passes through the Tampa metro area and in accordance with the IEEE NSS/MIC/RTSD planning.
Below is a link with updates regarding the preparations for Milton hurricane by the Tampa Convention Center, where the IEEE conference is going to take place.
https://www.tampa.gov/news/2024-10/tampa-convention-center-prepares-ahead-hurricane-milton-157476
The hackathon’s venue hotel, which is located very close to the Tampa Convention Center, is currently evacuated. We expect to receive more updates from the venue hotel on Friday or by next week.
We would also like to inform you that we are preparing as a contingency plan for the likelihood of switching to an online virtual hackathon in the event the venue hotel is unable to host us physically or the IEEE NSS/MIC/RTSD switches to a virtual conference. However, we are currently continuing our preparations assuming a hybrid in-person and virtual hackathon, as originally planned.
Our thoughts are with the people of Florida hoping for the best!
Stay safe and healthy,
Nicolas Karakatsanis
On behalf of the 2nd ETSI Hackathon Organization Committee
Emission Tomography Standardization Initiative (ETSI) 