City readies for Y2K

Eron Ben-Yehuda

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- While residents celebrate New Year’s Eve, city

officials will be making sure no Y2K glitches spoil the fun.

Officials don’t expect any major problems, but they will be ready if a

computer malfunction causes a “low-level” crisis, said Gloria Morrison,

the city’s emergency services coordinator.

Among the types of services that may suffer disruptions are electricity,

water and gas. If a problem occurs, the city will coordinate with other

government agencies and utility companies to restore service as quickly

as possible, officials said.

“We’ve tried to plan for absolutely everything,” Morrison said.

The city’s emergency services, such as police and fire departments,

probably will continue to function smoothly as the year 2000 rolls in

because, like all other city departments, their computer systems are

checked and rechecked to ensure Y2K compliance, said Fire Chief Michael

Dolder, who oversees the city’s preparation.

In case they do fail, the city has backup plans that don’t require

computers. If telephones don’t work, for example, city officials will use

ham radios to communicate, Morrison said.

Despite the initial hysteria, Morrison said that people do not seem as

concerned as they once were about the Y2K threat.

“The public has calmed down,” she said, because governments and

businesses have made significant progress since spring in preparing for

possible system breakdowns, she said.

“We’ve come a long way,” she said.

While major strides have been made to stomp the millennium bug, no one

can predict exactly what will happen as the clock strikes midnight on

Dec. 31, Dolder said.

The concern stems from the long-standing computer programming tradition

of using only two digits to represent years. In 2000, the date “00” could

be interpreted as “1900” by some programs, resulting in the possibility

of miscalculations, malfunctions or complete shutdowns.

With computer-run electronic equipment controlling everything from

refrigerators to security alarms, residents should take precautions as

well, Dolder said. Those who do have nothing to fear, he said.

To help them get ready, the city will send out 50,000 pamphlets by the

end of this month showing residents how to prepare, Deputy City

Administrator Rich Barnard said.

“And if you’re not prepared today, shame on you,” Dolder said.

How to prepare for Y2K

Some advice from the “Y2K Checklist” includes:

-- Check with manufacturers to determine whether any essential

computer-controlled electronic equipment may be affected.

-- Stock supplies, such as nonperishable foods, stored water and

medications, to last several days to a week for yourself and those who

live with you.

-- Keep some extra cash or travelers’ checks on hand in case electronic

transactions involving ATM cards, credit cards and the like cannot

proceed.

-- Have plenty of flashlights and extra batteries on hand in case of

power outages.