If my memory serves me right, the original Navy report that surfaced in late August indicated Atlanta to be in the "probable problem" category for natural gas and water (please correct me if I'm wrong). Since I own a home in a northwest Atlanta suburb, this natural gas thing has been bugging me. If at rollover, the local gas distributor may have problems which would probably mean low or no gas pressure (experts--please feel free to jump in). Even if this problem lasted only a few seconds, the pilot lights on many gas appliances such as water heaters and furnaces would go out.

Folks, rollover begins at 12:01 AM on a SATURDAY. How many small businesses,vacant apartments, government offices, schools, etc, etc. will have this problem. If the gas leak occurs in the middle of the night (or anytime for that matter) the first person to check these appliances or come anywhere near them with a lit cigarette or possibly static electricity would set off this gas bomb. The resulting fire could spread to other buildings setting off other "gas bombs". How long would it be till the local fire departments were "swamped" and could not respond to any new fires? AND then we have the "problem" of Atlanta's water being in the Navy's "probable" category.

Those of us who plan to weather Y2K in our urban and suburban homes had better have a back-up plan and then a back-up plan for our back-up plan. If anyone thinks they have days or weeks before they will have to deal with starving urban refugees had better think again. You may have urban and suburban "fire" refugees in your front yard within 24 hours after rollover. What if they are neighbors you know from "down the street". Hard decisions will have to be made.

Ain't Y2K gonna be fun!!!!

The SHOW starts in 31 days. Everyone has a ticket. NO REFUNDS.

Gato

-- gato (pencil@mindspring.com), November 30, 1999

Answers

---the city gas was a HUGE biggee for me in decision to leave 'lanta. I mean, look at the city from the air, four zillion oak trees,all dry in the middle of winter, all the way from one side of town to the other, miles and miles and miles, a zillion wooden frame houses, new years eve, hundreds of thousands of drunks and stoners, with maybe *poof*, no juice for awhile, weird gas pressure, candles being lit, fires being lit in bathtubs for heat like the storm of the century in 93, and the track record of the water plant barely being able to be run now, with maybe zip water pressure then------well, sounds like a BIG OLE FIRESTORM potential to me..........

zog gladigot@outtathere

-- zog (zzoggy@yahoo.com), November 30, 1999.

Gato,

I know you're concerned, and rightfully, about gas explosions and gas fumes etc. But please be informed that most gas appliances manufactured in the last 40+ years have a pilot light controled by a thing called a thermo-coupler, it closes the gas flow off if the pilot goes out for any reason. Their are situations that this does'nt pertain, but very few. You should worry less about these and more about gettin' the hell outa' town if you can.

Good luck ,

Crybaby, see you on the other side!!

-- C-Baby (CRYBABY@tearsforfears.net), November 30, 1999.