For a full year now I have been trying to get the word out regarding preparation for brown outs/blackouts in y2k. I have learned the hard way to speak only about this now to people who 1)approach me 2)Family members or good friends. I find it really disturbing that so many people are in denial. I want to be prepared to "camp out" on the first or trird day of January 2000, but, my biggest fear is that people around me won't be prepared and I will have to defend my "stock". My husband and I are prepared to do just this, we have plans to purchase a shot gun and practice shooting it at a local range. we are stocking up on water, rice, dried and canned beans, basic first aid and personnal items, coleman propane grill, propane and battery ofperated flasklights, warm bedding and clothing. The one thing I feel is very important is that our neighbors be well informed and prepared. I would'nt want to shoot my friends for trying to steal from me. But so far every one thinks I'm nuts! What can I do in my community to help raise awareness of this potentially catastrophic event?

-- Anonymous, October 10, 1998

Answers

I am also encountering pervasive denial of the seriousness of the Y2K issue regarding the electric utility industry, only in my case it is within the industry itself. I work for a company that provides microprocessor-based equipment to utilities for installations in power delivery and generation substations. Our devices are proven to be Y2K compliant. However, the prevailing attitude in my company, as well as that of most of the computer-literate utility engineers I know, is that the Y2K issue is a lot of internet, talk radio, and tabloid hysteria generated by opportunistic sheisters to create business for themselves. Just today the president of my company stated that the Y2K issue is like "a farmer shearing a pig - you get lot of squealing but not much wool." He commented on the apparent opportunistic chararacter of Y2K consultants. He then said that when 12/31/99 rolls around he is planning to do the most dangerous thing he can possibly find to do - most likely book an airline flight - just to demonstrate how silly this all is.

The subject comes up repeatedly in seminars and the consensus of opinion is that this is much ado about nothing - all we have to do is endeavor to follow NERC or EPRI's guidelines and we'll be okay. Our president asked for a show of hands in today's meeting of how many people thought the Y2K issue is "serious", and about three people, including myself, out of about a hundred (all of whom are working within the electric utility business), raised their hands.

-- Anonymous, October 11, 1998

I feel the reason is a lack of facts. There are a lot of theories but little to substantiate them. I not saying the theories are not true only there is little to support them coming from the utilities themselves. We have tried to get hard facts from the local utility but they are being evasive and we can not start contingency plans here without definitive data. What the utilities are doing is criminal but that doesn't help the situation.

In other words, I understand why we are having trouble and I understand your frustration but haven't yet found the answers yet.

Sorry,

Carol

-- Anonymous, October 13, 1998

Denial of the potential seriousness of the problem stems from many root causes, some of which are: 1." It can't happen to me." syndrome. 2. We are far too comfortable with our technology to even begin to contempate life with out it. 3. Too few people today are taught to afford themselves a broad information base then analyze that info, seeking trends and patterns that only emerge from a large statistical base, then act on the indicated results. 4. The implications of the worst case scenarios are simply too barbaric to accept. After months of research, fact finding, and discussion, my wife and I have come to the conclususion that prudent precaution and planning isn't paranoid. We also feel called to share what we have concluded with family and friends in the hope of reducing their denial period. We are NOT making a public show of preparing. I'm willing to help the helpless, but I will not be prey for those who intend to provide for themselves by taking advantage of my foresight. A caution to Kim: trying to raise other's awareness is great, but if you let too many people know you are preparing, you might just end up needing to use that shotgun. To Jim Schwenk: I hate to sound harsh and un-Christian, but it sounds as if your boss will be just another of the millions of self solving problems. Let's face it, if this thing turns out badly, those who were warned yet remain unprepared will likely not survive. To Carol: You don't need definitive data to prepare any more than I need to wait until the next hurricane hits the Carolina's to make sure my generator is working and my matches are dry. I suggest you pick a managable preparation plan and get to it. No one can prepare for every scenario, but some preparation is better than none. Remember, in the tactical sense, this issue is primarily defensive in nature. Almost 18 years in the Marine Corps has taught me to read the signs, gather as much information as I can, analyze it, formulate a plan, and then execute it. If you do, you will be ahead of most folks. Best of luck to you all!

-- Anonymous, October 18, 1998

I've run into the same problem, how to get people to take you serious when you try to warn them about Y2k. Most of the current generation just cannot envision life without electricity and all the attendant comforts we've taken for granted for so long. Most of today's children have never seen a world without supermarkets and malls full of whatever your heart desires. I think the best way to get the public's attention is to print out and post some of the fine articles you can find on the net. Put them on public bulletin boards, and include some Y2k URLs to get them started. Maybe a few of the curious will check it out and start thinking about the unthinkable. I find it ironic that most of the world has heard of Monica, but far fewer have even heard of Y2k, let alone how it will affect them. Make your little wave wherever you can and slowly the news will spread. I predict that Y2k will be THE biggest topic of conversation by the summer of 1999.

-- Anonymous, October 18, 1998

I have designed an attractive two-sided tri-fold pamphlet (in Word 97)describing the problem, its extent and potential impact, how it may affect people, and what initial steps they should take to prepare for possible disruptions. It's an aid in developing neighborhood/community awareness, and free for the asking. Just email me--and tell me if you need a free reader for Word 97, too.

-- Anonymous, October 18, 1998

I am facing the same problem. The only suggestion I have is to first explain that "Begining next year (1998) we will all start to see some problems regarding y2k complience. There will be problems! How bad and for how long? No one knows, but it is better to be a help than a burden. You can be of major help by preparing for the worst. When the least happens, you have a great buffer for any future disasters ranging from job loss to tornado, to econimic recession." The last part usually gets them thinking. Let them soak that in for a while, (days, weeks) if they still don't aggree, move on.It's better to be wrong and happy than wrong and without

-- Anonymous, October 25, 1998

I suggest that you try to let the inner city community leaders in your area know and tell them to tell thier people to save thier milk cartons all year so that they can fill them with water in late dec.

I find that hartford inner city types believe easily. They have a certain distrust of the big companies already. I always thought that was dumb, as I am a Forbes reader, but now it helps them to hear.

-- Anonymous, November 01, 1998