November 29,1999

PANIC IN THE YEAR ZERO Emergency agency expects the worst Y2K could be more than government can handle

By David M. Bresnahan ) 1999 WorldNetDaily.com

The federal government is expecting the Y2K computer bug to cause more than just a few minor inconveniences, according to training materials for emergency managers.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been conducting regional Y2K workshops for federal agency officials who will be dealing with Y2K-related problems.

Under "Planning Assumptions," the document details conditions emergency managers are expected to encounter during the period now called "Day One" by federal officials -- Dec. 28 through Jan. 3.

"Most federal/state mission critical emergency response systems will be Y2K compliant," the document states. Since not all mission critical systems will be compliant, and because other less critical systems have not been repaired, the ability for emergency staff to respond to Y2K disruptions could be seriously impaired.

Those attending any of the 10 workshops were told that repairs could be made as soon as problems became known "on the fly."

"Y2K disruptions, like natural disasters, may temporarily interfere with normal life," the FEMA training document warned, a copy of which was obtained by WorldNetDaily. "Individuals should maintain emergency supplies for a reasonable period consistent with normal preparedness measures."

FEMA has been firmly warning federal, state and local emergency planners that there will be so many simultaneous Y2K problems throughout the country that the federal government cannot be expected to assist with them all. The maximum number of Y2K disruptions that FEMA can handle at once has been set as 56, according to the training materials.

"The federal government may experience temporary shortages of critical response resources, leading to resource allocation and adjudication among states," the document states. "Resource allocation" is a form of rationing of available resources, according to one source who attended the training. "Adjudication" is a form of triage in which each reported Y2K disruption will be judged and prioritized.

The documents also warn agencies not to plan on help from the military.

"Certain DoD (Department of Defense) assets may not be available for response to domestic Y2K disruptions," the training documents warn. That is consistent with earlier statements by John Hamre, deputy secretary of Defense. Hamre has ordered military commanders to only respond to requests for help from civil agencies if they involve immediate threats to life and damage to property.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is so concerned that federal resources may be stretched to the limit that it has asked state and local civil agencies to use all their resources before they come to FEMA for help with Y2K emergencies.

"Immediate response to Y2K consequences should be addressed by local and state jurisdictions prior to requesting federal assistance," according to FEMA.

A presidential 'emergency' -- rather than 'major disaster' declaration will be made if Y2K disruptions exceed state/local response resources.

"Except in life-saving situations, federal response resources may not be deployed until an initial nationwide needs analysis has been conducted," the emergency planners were told at the training session.

The national FEMA emergency support team will be activated on full level one alert status from Dec. 28 through Jan. 4, according to the training documents. The team will be supported by the 10 FEMA regional operations centers, the FEMA liaison in each state, and a special network of emergency communications systems.

The documents state that the FEMA emergency support team will be prepared to handle a "potential of 56 declaration requests" involving that many simultaneous Y2K disruptions in different locations throughout the country.

When the president declares a national emergency, the FEMA state liaisons will be elevated to the position of deputy federal coordinating officer, according to the plans given at the training sessions.

In the event normal telephone communications fail, FEMA has prepared a number of alternative communications systems. These systems include:

FEMA Switched Network

Fixed/mobile KuBand satellite systems

National Warning System

American Mobile Satellite Corporation SkyCell voice, data, and radio dispatch service

FEMA National Radio System

Land Mobile Radio Systems

Low Earth Orbit satellite data service

SHAred RESources (SHARES) HF radio program

FEMA has bought and paid for several satellite phones for every state emergency operations center. The phones will operate over the American Mobile Satellite system and will be used if normal telephone systems fail. FEMA will pay for the use of the phones through the end of March, after which the equipment will be returned, according to the instructions given out at the training meeting.

The cost of response to Y2K disruptions will be shared 75 percent federal and 25 percent local, which is the same formula the government uses for all disasters in which FEMA becomes involved. FEMA claims it is prepared to process Y2K-related requests on an expedited basis.

State governors may request the declaration of an emergency in their states under specific guidelines FEMA has issued to each state. The determination of the need for an emergency declaration on a state level will be evaluated based on the "threat to life, health, or safety," according to the training documents. Special populations, critical facilities and large-scale disruptions of normal community functions will also be a part of the decision.

The press will not be permitted in the President's Council on the Year 2000 Conversion Information Communication Center, where all Y2K federal response will be coordinated. A public affairs officer will "issue news releases and background information as appropriate," according to the documents.

FEMA makes it clear in its training documents that it will "not provide funding to fix computers." The types of help FEMA plans to provide include:

Food, water, medicine, and emergency assistance

Emergency communications, emergency access, and emergency public transportation

Shelters, emergency care, and temporary housing

Debris removal; emergency repairs/demolition

Search and rescue

Health and safety hazard removal

The FEMA emergency support team will issue an initial nationwide needs analysis between 12 and 18 hours after the start of the New Year, the documents state.

-- Susan Barrett (sue59@bellsouth.net), November 29, 1999

Answers

Is this article getting any newspaper coverage on a major wire service?

-- cody varian (cody@y2ksurvive.com), November 29, 1999.

"Is this article getting any newspaper coverage on a major wire service? "

Kinda funny, but this loses something without the "rim-shot". Still, not bad for a "one-liner"!

-- Anonymous999 (Anonymous999@Anonymous999.xxx), November 29, 1999.

Now WHAT begins? Wolf! Wolf!

This proves nothing other than that the emergency services aren't prepared to take Clinton's word over Y2K. A quiet round of applause to them, but this is NOT proof that doomers were right all along.

Don't adopt the same hypocrisy that Koskinen has been so guilty of.

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), November 29, 1999.

This is a good article. It just shows that it is good to be prepared. Whether Y2K is a non-event or a disaster, prepared people can't loose. Those who don't prepare, however, have got to do some serious praying that Y2K is a nonevent...

-- nothing (better@to.do), November 29, 1999.

anonymous999...I fell out of my chair laughing at your comeback...still smilin'....

-- Jay Urban (Jayho99@aol.com), November 29, 1999.

Doesnt it really say he might declare a emergency:

""Should it become necessary, a presidential 'emergency,' rather than a 'major disaster,' will be declared, and assistance will be focused on addressing threats to life, health, safety, and property," the Senate committee was told in a report from Lacy E. Suiter from the Response and Recovery Directorate of FEMA. "

and....

""A presidential 'emergency' rather than 'major disaster' declaration will be made if Y2K consequences exceed state/local response resources," FEMA staff and other federal agencies were told at the regional meetings.

Actually most of this is old news. Seems WND is just hyping it up again.

-- hamster (hamster@mycage.com), November 29, 1999.

Not to sound like a troll, but this sounds like S.O.P. for emergency management procedures. The same type of procedures that would have been followed in a hurricane, winter blizzard, etc...

I'd like to see some more documentation (preferably by another source other than WorldNetDaily) before I'd make any assumptions.

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), November 29, 1999.

I agree there's nothing new here. I once e-mailed David Bresnahan to ask him if he would consider trying to get one of the mainstream media outlets to pick up on a National Guard whistle-blower article many months (over a year?) ago. He responded by telling me that WND ~IS~ mainstream.

-- Bill Byars (billbyars@softwaresmith.com), November 29, 1999.

This line bothers me. i don't believe they actually say this.

"FEMA has been firmly warning federal, state and local emergency planners that there will be so many simultaneous Y2K problems throughout the country that the federal government cannot be expected to assist with them all."

I beleive the real word is "may" and not "will"

Could be wrong, though....

-- J (jart5@bellsouth.net), November 29, 1999.

"The maximum number of Y2K disruptions that FEMA can handle at once has been set as 56..." I wonder where they came up with "56". Either way, do ya feel lucky? Well, do ya?

-- The Whistler (I'm Here, I'm There, I'm Everywhere@so.beware), November 29, 1999.

"The phones will operate over the American Mobile Satellite system and will be used if normal telephone systems fail. FEMA will pay for the use of the phones through the end of March, after which the equipment will be returned, according to the instructions given out at the training meeting. "

If is only going to be three day event why do they need "special phones" for --three months,-- do they not even expect the phones to be up for three months? Just another proof of their cover up. They know it is going to worse than they are saying.

-- obo (susanwater@excite.com), November 29, 1999.

Sorry to wake you up, but we have had a "presidential emergency" ongoing now for the last seven years, and the crisis is only getting worse ....... !!

Squirrel Hunter >"<

-- SH (squirrel@huntr.com), November 29, 1999.