In today's paper; Is this a new program...anyone else have this sort of station in their community? I thought the timing was a bit suspicious. Carbondale IL (AP) - There won't be any traffic on the tens, no hit music blocks. What listeners to the city's new radio station will hear, officials promise, is disaster information, the city council, and maybe even the local football team. The city council voted this week to spend $21,000 of a $500,000 federal grant to put a low-powered radio station on the air by the end of the year. The station will be used primarily to air prerecorded and live disaster information, such as live reports from spotters tracking severe storms. But it may also be used to broadcast information on the city council, community events and high school athletic matches. The city already televises its city council meetings and distributes other information via a cable-access channel. City Manager Jeff Doherty said the station will not compete with commercial broadcasters. Carbondale received the federal grant as part of Project Impact, an effort by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help communities prepare to withstand disasters. The city is buying equipment for the station from a Michigan company that provides radio equipment to highway departments, tourist attractions and communities nationwide.

-- BP (BParker201@aol.com), November 07, 1999

Answers

I wonder if they will use 'two guys and a gal' like the other local stations? 8-)

Seriously, be happy that your local community is thinking ahead. Maybe not for y2k but your area has enough of the natural stuff happen that this is a good move. However----

"You are hereby directed to turn in your firearms to the authorities at ____________ & _____________ checkpoint. This is a mandantory order to help quell the rioting and shooting. The government is here in force and have the situation well in hand. FEMA is here to help you, the citizens, in your hour of need". I guess this type of stuff could make your papanoid.

"Paranoia is just one more way of looking at reality."

-- Lobo (atthelair@yahoo.com), November 07, 1999.

BP,

There was an article earler this year in the local newspaper about a suburb having a radio station available in case of Y2K emergencies. Like Carbondale, Louisville and Jefferson County are also a "Project Impact" community, but I don't know whether or not "Project Impact" has anything to do with Anchorage having its own radio transmitter:

http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/1999/9901/19/990119comp.html

[snip]

Small Kentucky cities say they'll be ready for 2000

Computers run sewage plants and 911 systems

By JOSEPH GERTH, The Courier-Journal

Anchorage City Hall might look like a civil-defense shelter next Jan. 1. Anchorage, a small city in eastern Jefferson County, is preparing for the millennium bug to hit -- as are many small communities around the state. The city administrator, J. Fred Miller IV, said officials are taking it seriously.

They'll have fuel stored for police cars, backup generators to power government offices, additional cash on hand and maybe fresh water stored.

The city even has an AM radio transmitter to communicate with residents in an emergency -- all in case computers shut down, leaving cities unable to provide basic services.

Small cities and counties across the state have joined in the race to beat what is known as "the millennium bug" (although the new millennium itself will begin Jan. 1, 2001 -- not the first day of 2000) and "the Y2K crisis," which experts fear will affect computers when the year 2000 hits.

[snip]

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), November 07, 1999.