If the power is off and the crews are still active (as I believe they would try to be), it may be helpful to ensure their safety (and other critical workers) by imposing martial law sometime prior to 1/1/2000. By putting various National Guard units, etc. in place before the most serious trouble hits perhaps the public confidence can be held in check. Obviously, this would scare the daylights out of us all, but I am guessing that a sudden blackout for an extended period would be worse on the public psyche. Without power and considering our military is so dependent on devices that may not be y2k compliant, it may be difficult for them to be deployed effectively after the main event. (Imagine calling up reservists when there are telephone/mail/TV/radio/transportation problems.)

I have heard some in these postings and elsewhere ask whether the power crews or military would work without pay for an extended period. To see a modern example of just such a situation, look at the Russian army. From what I've read they have quite a few defections, but they still have an army. In the midst of a crisis, I imagine most everyone would rise to the occasion and contribute without pay, as long as, they and their families get food, water, and shelter. A promise of money later on certainly would not hurt at all.

Musing further, I imagine keeping the peace would be impossible if a major disruption in the food and/or water supply occurs. But, I wonder if keeping the food flowing by shear will and brute force could be possible. (Can you imagine driving a truckload of food on the highway if there is a shortage? Truckdriving could be a most hazardous occupation.) If so, getting people in place ahead of time would seem important.

So now, back to electrical power. As I implied in the first paragraph, safety for electrical workers and others will be important if we expect them to be on the job fixing problems during this time. If the problems are severe enough and the workers do not feel safe to work, I dare not think what would happen. I feel like a complete alarmist fool writing this, but this popped into my head the other day and I have not been able to see the "worker safety" issue any other way. Anyone else have any thoughts or ideas? Are my assumptions wrong?

P.S. - I realize I am assuming a pretty nasty scenario which may not come to pass. However, I figure if we are ready for the worst case, anything else will be "easy". Also, there are many issues not attempted to be addressed here such as: politics of such a decree, where to deploy people, how to help each part of the food chain, ...

-- Anonymous, July 14, 1998

Answers

If fuel production halts as a result of power blackouts, there will be no delivery of food or essential services. The communication system will also go down. In that event, unlike Russia, any troops assigned with martial law duties will probably head for home to protect their loved ones. How about you? No food, no power, no phones, and no way to know if undesirables are raiding your home??? You might not care about the fallen government's edicts !

You may be correct in assuming that the Guard will be positioned pre-2000, but it will only serve to escalate the hysteria and it won't be effective for long.

Another thing to keep in mind is the vulnerability of Guard outposts. They will be known to have food and water. In a worst case scenario, they will be targets. Remember, there are trained factions out there...

R.A. Mann

-- Anonymous, July 14, 1998

Having martial law to protect emergency workers may be a good thought, but I think it is probably going to be having martial law to protect a president. I have heard that once martial law is established, it is no longer an election year (which 2000 is) and also that Constitutional Rights are upheld. Is this true? I think people really need to seriously prepare for this, someone stated earlier, "it is better to be over-prepared than not to be prepared at all." Remember, this will be happening in the winter. Stock up on all essentials!! When panic hits, you may not be able to get what you need for your family from the store.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 1998

Complicating the issue of any planning is the factor of duration. With a natural disaster, one has a reasonably predictable cycle of events, the last being the usual recovery period. Hurricanes might last 24 or so hours. Tornados are over in a small fraction of a day. With the Y2K crisis, a power outage may not only happen once, but a number of times with highly unpreditable durations. I see this as lowering the panic threshold, an element those militarizing resources would consider. The greater the uncertainty, perhaps the higher degree of control. As a thought experiment, imagine how the population would panic in a hurricane as opposed to an attack by aliens. With certainy , people have control over their lives. Unpreditability often is an impetus for the panic.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 1998

Certainly the turck drivers would need protecting, ASSUMING that there is even fuel to propel them.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 1998

I would be interested in hearing from anyone that would care to explore possibilities of banding together and pooling resources in preparation for the coming disaster.

-- Anonymous, August 22, 1998