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What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?
The summer of 1998 served as a training manual for the end of the world up on the silver screen. "Deep Impact" and "Armageddon" drilled panic-mode scenarios into the minds of movie-goers nationwide. The films offered perfect instructions for wide-scale frenzy, complete with chaotic city streets, loss of utilities and order, and government officials at a loss for solutions.
The pandemonium detailed may happen sooner than asteroids slam into the earth, however. Already, two states are preparing for potential panic on New Year's Eve, as the world's computers try to survive the millenium bug. Washington State has scheduled its National Guard's monthly training weekend to coincide with New Year's, and legislation is passing through the Wisconsin assembly to add National Guard readiness to a list of other Y2K proposals.
Lawmakers in both states are quick to point out that the provisions are only a portion of larger Y2K compliance packages, and that putting the Guard on "ready" mode is drastically different than sending armed warriors out into the streets. But the disparate actions of various states have alerted some to wonder what will happen when the year 2000 arrives and all states are thrown into the possibility of disaster.
"Our concern is that when we look at disasters in specific states, we have other states we can call on for help," says Glenn Mayne, Florida Y2K project manager. "But here, we aren't going to be able to go to Alabama or Georgia. It's a little different thinking for us."
Wisconsin legislators are currently debating a proposal by GOP state Rep. Sheryl Albers that will address a wide variety of consumer protection and education concerns, as well as put the Guard on alert. As the chair of the Y2K Government Task Force for the state, she has suggested a plan that will encourage businesses to disclose problems with their systems to other businesses looking for help, without the threat of a lawsuit should their information ineffectively deal with the computer problems. A proposed set of public service announcements, extension services from the University of Wisconsin and programs with community groups are also planned, but the loudest buzz is over the Guard issue.
Republican Assembly speaker Scott Jensen will determine whether or not the proposal sees a vote. His communications director, Steve Boss, says that while Jensen won't reach a decision on the bill until it is in its final form, he does recognize the importance of protecting large cities from vulnerability. "He thinks we probably won't have to bring [the Guard] out, but if it's something as simple as putting them on call and making sure that if there is a crisis we'll put them into action, it would be ridiculous not to do that," Boss says.
But the National Guard will only have limited capabilities to respond to disaster. Jerry Olesen, executive support staff officer for the Wisconsin National Guard, says they lack equipment or staffing to provide the entire state with essentials. "It's like any other action. We have set capabilities in things like transportation and civil disturbance response, and we'll make those available," Olesen says. "But we can't fix computers and that's what this whole thing is centered around. We can't restore power to a community whether a tornado takes it out or a computer takes it out."
Wisconsin law dictates that hospitals and nursing homes have their own generators to make backup power, and the National Guard also has its own limited number of generators. But with wide-scale black or brown-outs, the capabilities of any one relief organization is limited. The National Guard is only a last resort for communities, who call the reserves when they need additional help their own law enforcement or emergency officials cannot solely provide.
For Washington State, the National Guard will be even more easy to reach on Millenium Eve, as Maj. Gen. Greg Barlowe, the Washington State adjutant general, has rescheduled training to coincide with the weekend. Chris Hedrick, the director of the state's Y2K office and Gov. Gary Locke's advisor on technology policy, says that approximately 2,000 airmen and 5,000 soldiers will participate in training at that time, with business as usual unless called upon by the governor. The state's concerted efforts, though, have gone into working with the private sector to get the public reliable information about preparedness.
Hedrick is working with his office to develop a geographically-personalized Web site that will allow residents to cull information for their own specific areas. That site is scheduled to launch in February. And Florida is also planning a similar set-up for its own site. Mayne says informing citizens about how they can prepare is one of the primary goals of his office as well. Many of Florida's residents are familiar with disaster routines because of frequent hurricanes, but Y2K is posing additional threats.
"But with a hurricane, we know approximately when it's going to hit but not where until the last minute. With this, we know when it's going to hit but we don't know what functions or utilities are going to cause problems-and it will happen all over the state at one time," Mayne says.
Critics have warned that widespread actions or announcements of National Guard deployment will lead to mass hysteria and a general panic mode that may not be necessary. Consequently, New York lawmakers are taking it slowly, getting their systems Y2K compliant and waiting to see what will happen.
"It's important to respond to facts and not speculate about what will happen," says Gary Davis, Y2K project manager for the New York Office for Technology. The state has divided operations into "mission critical" and "high priority" systems, and is using the emergency management office, as well as committees formed for the New York City area with representatives from the state and city transportation and public safety offices. While discussions about emergencies have lead to considerations about the National Guard, Davis says putting those plans in place are "premature." Finalized ideas will form in around June or July.
"This all goes back to the assumptions that there will be massive failures, and how do you prepare for Armageddon? We need to respond to facts. We've not told the public what they should be doing for personal response planning because we need to assemble all the facts," Davis says. "We're saying now just prepare as you would for any emergency response situation. Don't go over and beyond for Y2K."
Other News, Other States...
Snitching on state employees has never been this easy. Using a Web site, New Mexicans who spot drivers of state-owned vehicles misusing their privileges can report such incidents online. The General Service Department has seen such complaints soar in the past three months since they implemented the alternative reporting technique. In the past, a 1-800 number and mail-in forms were the only ways to report problems.
Department spokesman Mark Moores said that because the state enjoys
relatively low auto insurance premiums, this is yet another measure,
besides required defensive driving courses and record checks, to keep rates
low. "People I've talked to say they've bookmarked the page and whenever they
see someone on the highway" acting irresponsibly, they immediately report
it, Moores said. The most common complaint? Speeding.
The reports are distributed to appropriate department heads who are
expected to discuss the incident with their employee. "We're not looking at it to be a punitive measure," Moores said.
Texas has joined a growing number of states that have started putting the names and addresses of sex offenders into accessible on-line databases. Starting last week, Texans could visit the site and purchase, for $3.15, access into the database.
And access they did. Site managers reported a hits doubled overnight at the
Department of Public Safety page, said spokesperson Tela Mange. "Majority of people are in there because of sex crimes involving children, and the thing about that kind of crime is that it can only happen if that person has access to a child," Mange said.
Texas joins at least fifteen other states that have their databases online, but it is the only one that charges a fee to access the information. The money goes to paying for the sites' inception, as the department was not budgeted to handle its design and upkeep. The systems team is now working exclusively on remedying the department for Y2K. Currently, a $10 fee is charged for those who write or visit the department to access the information.
Mange said legislation is being discussed in the state assembly that would develop a 1-900 number to provide the information, because those who don't have Internet access most likely have telephone access. "At some point we're looking to reduce the fee or make it free, but at this time we just can't do that," Mange said.
Senate Bill 57, a measure introduced by Colorado state Sen. Gigi Dennis, R-Pueblo that would continue the deregulation of the phone industry, was approved in committee by a vote of 6-2 this week. But opponents told the Senate Business Affairs and Labor Committee that the bill would make it harder for large companies to break into local long-distance markets. Small companies serving rural areas would be subject to less oversight. Bruce Smith, director of the Public Utilities Commission, said the stricter confidentiality guidelines were intended to make companies more comfortable about giving regulatory information as competition increases.
- by Stephanie Lash
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