Wisconsin - 80 employees to monitor state computers on December 31st

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The state Emergency Operations Center will be located at National Guard headquarters in Madison and will also be staffed by about 40 people from the state Division of Emergency Management, who will work in shifts throughout the weekend.

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

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Published: Sunday, November 7, 1999

80 to monitor state computers on Dec. 31

* No champagne for Wisconsin workers as '99 turns into '00

SARAH WYATT ASSOCIATED PRESS

MADISON

While many people are uncorking their champagne bottles on New Year's Eve, about 80 state employees will be monitoring state government computers for any sign of meltdown as the last two numbers of the year change from 99 to 00.

``There are going to be many of us who aren't going to be enjoying the Y2K rollover the way we want to,'' said Beth Hastings, who is coordinating the state's preparation efforts.

Concerns about New Year's Eve 1999 stem from computer programs that use two digits to designate the year. Programs could become confused when the year changes from '99 to '00, causing them to spit out bad data or shut down altogether.

State employees staged a drill on Oct. 14 to make sure people from 11 key state agencies would be familiar with the process for dealing with a possible man-made computerized disaster, although Hastings said consultants are predicting ``small but scattered'' problems.

The agencies include those normally involved in emergencies like the state patrol and others whose computers are critical to people's lives, such as the Department of Workforce Development, which is responsible for the state's economic support programs.

``What we know about Y2K is that since the source of the problems are going to be the computer programming glitches, the things that will probably be more directly affected are the things that affect how businesses or state government function,'' Hastings said.

The Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Year 2000 had its last meeting Friday to wrap up its work and lay out the actual logistics for New Year's Eve.

The state Emergency Operations Center will be located at National Guard headquarters in Madison and will also be staffed by about 40 people from the state Division of Emergency Management, who will work in shifts throughout the weekend.

Employees in all state agencies will be testing their computer systems to make sure they are working and will then report to the emergency command center, Hastings said.

A total of 80 people will be working at the command center, gathering information and passing it on to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Private businesses like banks will also be required to report to FEMA, which will send the information to the Information Coordination Center Web site (www.y2k.gov).

The state has checked its computers and equipment that uses date- sensitive computer chips, and is ready for the rollover, Hastings said.

The state's preparation efforts seem to be reassuring state residents.

A poll released last week by the St. Norbert College Survey Center showed nearly 74 percent of Wisconsin residents had little or no concern about problems associated with the computer bug, while nearly 27 percent of those polled were moderately or highly concerned about the issue.

State officials should know the Monday after New Year's Eve whether there are major computer problems, Hastings said.

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


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