The system has failed 4 times in the last several months. They are doing a live test this morning at 8:30. If it fails, they will revert to manual. The reporters sound dumbfounded. Color me shocked... *******************************************************

From www.wbtv.com:

The year 2000 is quickly approaching, but there are concerns that not everyone is ready for Y2K, including the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. Chief Darrel Stephens held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to address the concerns. He says crews are still working to make sure the computer-aided dispatch system is ready, but the department has contingency plans in place even if it's not. Some of the potential problems could include trouble accessing the state DMV computers and problems with the department's paging system, but officials stress they're prepared to handle the glitches

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), December 29, 1999

Answers

Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

-- Robert A Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 29, 1999.

Any word from Duke Power on this announcement???? If Charlotte looses it's ability to po\roperly respond to emergencies, doesn't the NRC require the McGuire Nuke Plant to shut down????

-- BH (bh_silentvoice@hotmail.com), December 29, 1999.

BH,

Not a peep from Duke. Actually, there are 2 nuke plants operated by Duke, one to the north and one just south of the border in SC. I'm guessing everyone is holding their breath, waiting for this morning's test results. Will post more info as it becomes available.

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), December 29, 1999.

From today's Observer, the usual happy face downplaying...

www.charlotte.com/observer/local/pub/dispatch1229.htm Dispatch systems still need tinkering Officials: Y2K woes, if any, won't be major

By BRADY DENNIS Staff Writer Charlotte's automated police dispatch systems might not be glitch- free come New Year's Day, but city officials say any problems aren't cause for concern.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has been working down to the wire to make sure its emergency communications systems are Y2K- compliant.

But problems keep cropping up, said Susan Johnson, Charlotte's Y2K coordinator.

"Sometimes as you repair a problem, you introduce new problems," Johnson said.

The 911 system itself, which is operated by BellSouth and displays a caller's name and address, isn't affected.

Instead, the latest problem is the software for the department's computer-aided dispatch, or CAD, system. The CAD system helps 911 operators by instantly sending emergency information to the proper dispatcher.

The Y2K-compliant version had errors that sidetracked the system.

As a result, dispatchers must use a manual system of writing down the caller's location and handing it to a courier, who verifies the address and gives it to the appropriate dispatcher.

Operators, who were still using the old automated system Tuesday, were scheduled to try the new system again at 8:30 a.m. today, afterpeak traffic hours.

Around 11 a.m., technicians will run a new set of tests to see if the bugs are gone.

If they are, then the systems should be ready. But if not, technicians will continue to tinker.

If the new automated system isn't operational come Friday night, the manual system should work just fine, said Police Chief Darrel Stevens.

"I don't think it will have much of an overall impact," Stevens said. "I would prefer it be operational, but I am confident that the manual method would do the job."

Stevens admitted that the manual process might be a bit slower. But he said that the number of police personnel on the streets should offset any delays.

More than 1,400 police officers will be on duty New Year's Eve, roughly twice the normal amount. Therefore, response time to incidents shouldn't take as long.

Moreover, 911 stations will have extra staffing for the evening.

"Our hope and our plan is that the testing will resolve these problems," Stevens said. "But it's important to reassure people that even if the plan doesn't work, we'll still be able to provide public safety."

Maj. Piper Charles, the department's information services manager, said residents probably wouldn't notice any difference.

"The number of officers will negate any delay in actually dispatching the call. So it shouldn't have any noticeable impact."

Charles said the glitch involves only the Police Department. Medical and Fire Department systems aren't affected.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), December 29, 1999.

A better article...

Critical Charlotte-Mecklenburg police dispatching system may not be Y2K ready

CHARLOTTE -- Channel 9 Eyewitness News learned Tuesday that when Y2K comes, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police may decide to take a critical computer system off line. The system is one that tells police where you live when you call 911. It's a Y2K problem that may cause the system to fail on New Years Eve.

The system is called the CAD, which stands for Computer Aided Dispatch. When you have an emergency, it tells police the quickest way to get to your house. Unfortunately the system is not yet Y2K ready. The fix used to ready the system for the New Year was not successful.

Even at this late date the police department has computer experts testing one of it's key systems. If it is not fixed by Friday night, it could mean slower response times by officers on New Years Eve. Already this month a new program to make the CAD system Y2K compliant has failed 4 times. Another big test on the system is scheduled for Wednesday. But police are already making contingency plans, including the possibility of manual dispatching. Manual dispatching could slow down emergency response times on New Year's Eve.

In manual dispatching, all calls, including 911 calls, come into one dispatcher. That person has to write down the information on a card. The information is taken by a second person to another computer to look up the address, the police district, and to decide who to send on the call.

That information is then taken to another dispatcher who makes a radio call to an officer in the field. Police Chief Darrell Stephens said Tuesday that he is concerned about public confidence. But he is still hoping the CAD program can be fixed in time.

"The effect of the manual mode is essentially that it takes a little bit longer for the call-taker to process the call," said Stephens. Officers have already been briefed about what they could face on New Years Eve if manual dispatching is required. The chief says staffing will be doubled. He also says he should have a better feel for whether the system will work on New Years Eve after testing on Wednesday. Not all 911 calls are involved in this problem. Calls for fire or medical assistance will still go through normally. Only police calls are affected by this CAD system.

-- Roland (nottelling@nohwere.com), December 29, 1999.

WOW!!!! If Robert A. Cook of Marietta Georgia -- a P.E. hjighly esteemed for his contributions around here -- is going TICK TOCK TICK TOCK, then it really is here!!

>"<

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

Whoaaaa...

"The number of officers will negate any delay in actually dispatching the call." .... huh? Do they think no one is actually listening to this BS???

-- Norm Harrold (nharrold@tymewyse.com), December 29, 1999.