Excerpt from Chuck Lanza's "FEMA And State/Local Government - Countdown to Y2K":

Last week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) held the first of ten regional Y2K workshops for state and local governments. The workshops, an integral part of a nationwide program, aptly named "Countdown to Y2K", are designed to develop a national strategy to deal with the consequences of Y2K.

Posted at: http://www.y2ktimebomb.com/GL/CL/gl9908.htm

~C~

-- Critt Jarvis (critt@critt.com), February 26, 1999

Answers

Thanks, Critt.

These workshops were also discussed on a lower FEMA thread. (Too tired to look for it).

This certainly bears repeating ...

... Since the public looks to the federal government for leadership ... the areas of contention are:

1) coordination of Y2K restoration

2) use of the National Guard

3) Emergency Management Assistance Compact

4) Public Confidence

... asked to clarify expectations and identify preparedness needs and vulnerabilities. We were given seven expected outcomes to focus our discussions. Of the seven, three ... were the most pressing from a local government point of view. ...

 heighten awareness, promote continuity planning, and shared ideas

 identify and prioritize categories of assistance required

 provide materials that can be used by local government for remediation and contingency planning

... all four groups working independently, identified four common concerns; they are:

1) funding;

2) the lack of a nationwide strategy for developing policy, public information, and information sharing

3) public perception, confidence, and preparedness

4) the lack of time

... Addressing these concerns and others identified during the next nine regional workshops will be the core planning objectives of Countdown to Y2K. From the response of the workshop participants, each of these concerns are real and pose a threat to the success of local and state efforts.

... ... areas that are of particular concern to me are:

1  the vulnerability of special populations ... there are three populations that are at significant risk from Y2K related disruptions:

-- people who have inadequate housing

-- people who are electrically and oxygen dependent

-- those who require assistance with their activities of daily living

... Each of these populations requires a response; not on January 1, 2000, but in the weeks prior, including, identification, preparation, and staffing of alternative sheltering. On my website www.ChuckLanza.com there is a preparedness brochure that explains some of the strategies communities should take to reduce the impact of Y2K on these populations.

2  the use of the National Guard by the state and federal governments

... discussed whether the National Guard would remain a State asset in a Y2K scenario. An agreement was not achieved. I offered another view during the discussion, reminding them that most National Guard units are comprised of reservists who are for a large part local assets (i.e., law enforcement and firefighters). To take them for either a State or Federal mission during Y2K could negatively impact our ability to respond locally. As I was happy to remind them, Y2K problems will be global, but all response activities will be local.

... An excellent document, Contingency and Consequence Management Planning for Year 2000 Conversion: A Guide for State and Local Emergency Managers was distributed to the workshop participants and is available on the Internet at www.fema.gov. The Guide provides supplemental Y2K material for inclusion in local and state Emergency Operations Plans and provides assistance in Y2K contingency and consequence management planning.

Thanks guys for deciding important issues, impacting all our lives, without asking for our input, and just assuming we look to you to figure this mess out!

Sheesh!

Got Handi-wipes?

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 27, 1999.