Mayor Dennis Archer Outlines Detroit's Plans for Y2K Rollover

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http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/991217/mi_archer__1.html

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* Designating warming centers and emergency food locations throughout the city. Increasing staffing levels for critical departments such as Police, Fire, Water and Sewerage, and Public Lighting.

* The purchase of generators to power water pumping stations, police precincts and fire stations in the event of power outages.

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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), December 18, 1999

Answers

[Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only]

Friday December 17, 12:04 pm Eastern Time

Company Press Release

SOURCE: City of Detroit

Mayor Archer Outlines Detroit's Plans for Y2K Rollover

'Archer confident City departments prepared to meet any Y2K challenge'

DETROIT, Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayor Dennis Archer today said that the City of Detroit is prepared to deal with emergencies that could occur as a result of the Y2K rollover.

Mayor Archer was joined by officials from a number of city departments as he outlined the city's plans for handling the Y2K rollover at a news conference at the City's Emergency Operations Center.

``Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our employees, I believe that the City is prepared to handle problems which may occur as we roll over into the year 2000,'' said Mayor Archer. ``While we cannot predict what, if anything, will happen, I know we will be ready.

``In the event that something should happen, our Emergency Operations Center will be in operation and staffed by representatives of our key service providing departments. This will allow us to quickly and efficiently address any situation that may endanger the health or welfare of our city's residents.''

The City began working on the Y2K challenge in the early 1990s by requiring that all new computer applications use a four-digit date to indicate the year.

The city has taken a number of steps to prepare for Y2K including:

* Analyzing and testing all of the city's computer information and embedded systems, hardware and networks to ensure that they are Y2K compliant.

* The development of a contingency plan for each city department, which was reviewed by the city's Information Technology Services Department, the Office of Emergency Management and the Mayor's Office.

* Designating warming centers and emergency food locations throughout the city. Increasing staffing levels for critical departments such as Police, Fire, Water and Sewerage, and Public Lighting.

* The purchase of generators to power water pumping stations, police precincts and fire stations in the event of power outages.

* Formation of four Year 2000 committees -- the Year 2000 Oversight Committee, Year 2000 Public Safety Committee, Communications and Community Awareness Committee, and the Community Services Commission Y2K Task Force.

Throughout the year, the city has coordinated Y2K preparation and contingency planning with various other local, state, and federal organizations. In addition five City of Detroit agencies including, Water and Sewerage, Public Lighting, Fire Department/Office of Emergency Management, Police and Information Technology Services -- participated on the Southeast Michigan Y2K Utility Forum. Other Forum members include Detroit Edison, MichCon, Michigan State Police -- Emergency Management Division, SEMCO Energy, Michigan Gas Utilities, Consumers Energy, Ameritech and Wayne County. Forum members agreed to work together to provide vital services to southeastern Michigan communities; share information so that key services can be provided to critical locations; and to communicate directly with each other during critical time around the millennium event/rollover.

While the Mayor believes that Y2K problems will be minimal, he stressed the importance of Detroit residents being prepared for potential disruptions, just as they should be prepared for any emergency.

``We do not anticipate major problems, but no one is certain about the impact of Y2K,'' the Mayor said. ``I would advise Detroit residents to have on hand some extra food, water, flashlights, a battery-operated radio, and blankets.''

The Year 2000 or Y2K problem is often called the ``millennium bug.'' It stems from the time when computer programmers decided to use only a year's final two digits in programming -- for example, 1975 became ``75.'' Though it was done to save computer space, which was expensive at the time, programmers did not foresee that systems would remain in place long enough to read ``00'' as 1900, not 2000.

At the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2000, many systems could fail unless timely corrections are made -- and because today's computer systems touch citizens' daily lives in so many ways, the impact could be considerable.

Y2K brochures and other informational materials are available to residents at various Neighborhood City Halls, recreation centers, police precincts and fire stations. The city's Y2K hotline at 313-596- 2955 also will provide residents with information on preparedness.

THIS IS A YEAR 2000 READINESS DISCLOSURE.

SOURCE: City of Detroit

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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), December 18, 1999.


On the most recent Navy Report, Detroit was listed as having possible problems with electricity, water and sewage. In another thread on this forum, Detroit was cited as having done litle, if anything, concerning public housing and Y2k upgrades. I have an email from the City of Detroit stating that the Mayor would address the people of Detroit and the suburbs in August of 1999 concerning preparations for Y2k. He did not! If you read the Michigan State Police Website, you can click to their Y2k contingency planning dealing with electricty, water, gas and hospitals throughout Michigan. After reading all of this you come away with the feeling that the big "if" is the City of Detroit. Again, this is a case of " too little" and "too late"

-- Ruth Edwards (REath29646@aol.com), December 18, 1999.

I concur with everything that Ruth just said. I was told by the mayor of my city back in March that DWSD had failed their tests and probably would not be ready by the end of the year. The mayor was prepping big time for Y2K.

The fact that Detroit has spent 54 million dollars for 44 diesel generators for the water department alone would give you a clue that there is not a lot of confidence that they're ready. That's a mighty expensive contingency plan.

Preparation varies from city to city. Livonia seems to have taken the problem seriously and has worked very hard on contingency plans. Some cities have done virtually nothing. Shelter designations are made in some cities and not in others. Most are relying on the Red Cross to come in to furnish the heat, water, food...etc. That's a lot to put on the Red Cross if the problem is widespread.

You're better off to prepare to be in your own homes. Hopefully, the contingency plans will be enough. We'll have to wait and see. If DWSD doesn't get power from Edison, then they can't run. Edison finished their ASSESSMENT phase in December of 1998.

-- LOOn (blooney10@aol.com), December 18, 1999.


Preparations throughout Michigan for Y2k seem to be all over the scale. Livonia, a suburb of Detroit, has spent a great deal of money on Y2k. There are indications that areas such as Flint and Grand Rapids, as well as Detroit, are in big trouble. My own city, a suburb of Detroit, has been told to fill their bathtubs. Yes, honestly, that is what the powers that be told the citizens.

-- Ruth Edwards (REath29646@aol.com), December 18, 1999.

There's a place I wanna be. Detroit ! Man, T2L will be the rule on the street there, I'll bet.

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), December 18, 1999.


Home of... GM.

"Think" of what rippling repercussions that could mean.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 19, 1999.


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