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Y2K Preparations: Prudence Or Poppycock?

(with photos)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The "countdown to the millennium" clock in the post office on Commerce Road is

supposed to be a publicity stunt for the postal service's 20th Century stamp

drive. However, there are some who see it more as a "countdown to the

millennium bug" clock.

For most, New Year's Eve means simply gathering a couple bottles of champagne

and a some party favors. For others, December 31, 1999 means stockpiling food,

water and other supplies in preparation for the Year 2000 computer glitch.

Y2K -- the shorthand moniker for what will happen on January 1, 2000 when old

computers misread the year 2000 as 1900 -- has become a growing subject of

discussion in recent months as the countdown continues. Talk of Y2K is no

longer reserved for just Internet chat rooms. It has now captured the

imagination of almost everyone in this automated society. This week, it was

even the subject of a report issued by the US Senate.

Arrowhead Lane resident Ken Adams points out, there are those who fear the Y2K

problem may be serious enough to cause worldwide shortages. They worry about

the fate of the economy, electricity, communication, transportation and

anything else that might affect American's comfortable lifestyles.

"The majority of people don't want to hear about problems. The majority of

them want life to go on as is," he said. "I'd like that too, but I want to be

prepared in case it does happen."

Differing Views

Others say the picture is not as bleak. This week's report from the US Senate

indicated that while there may be some power "brownouts" and the loss of some

medical records, the effects of Y2K will not be as widespread as some had

previously believed.

"We will probably not have meltdown. This is not going to be the end of the

world as we know it," Sen Robert Bennett, R-Utah, said earlier this week.

He added that no one will know the full extent of the Y2K problem until we

actually go through it.

Despite the government's assurances, Erica Faber of 5 Surrey Trail is not

taking any chances. She has experienced food and heating shortages in the past

and wants to be prepared the second time around. She was just a child living

in Germany in the aftermath of World War II when the country was in a state of

economic chaos. The details of the privation and hardships live on in her

memory.

"I've been through this before, so I'm well aware of things that can go

wrong," the Surrey Trail resident said. "Life was very grim. We got down to

the barter system because money was not worth the paper it was printed on."

When and if things go bad, Mrs Faber has a generator ready in her garage. She

also plans to purchase a bicycle, install a hand pump well and plant a garden.

She also plans to stock up on canned goods and other non-perishable items.

"I think there will be a total economic collapse. I think things might grind

to a halt," she said. "We may have an inflation. I don't know if money will be

of any help to us."

The Newtown resident and owner of Peter's Boat Catholic Books, hopes her

predictions are wrong, but she is not alone in her fears over Y2K.

Laying In Supplies

Ken Adams believes the problem will be worse than some residents think, but

not as bad as the "doomsday sayers" predict.

"I'm preparing just in case something does happen. As an engineer, I realize

there are a number of government agencies that aren't ready," he said.

Mr Adams has been purchasing water and buying extra food just in case there

are temporary shortages.

Dave Johnson, owner of Natural Food Distributing at 77 South Main Street, said

sales of wheat, dried beans, herbs and spices are way up.

"People are starting to store food. They can put it in a plastic container and

store it away," he said.

US Sen Christopher Dodd, who heralded the release of the Senate's Y2K

investigation this week, came up with this analogy: "What you ought to do is

prepare for a good storm, a hurricane, a storm where you'd like two or three

days of water and canned goods and the like," he said. People should not

withdraw money from banks, but should hold on to their financial statements,

he said.

One area of concern, Sen Dodd said, is that 90 percent of the nation's 800,000

doctors offices are not prepared for the millennium bug, possibly resulting in

a temporary loss of medical records.

According to Sen Dodd, a site in Colorado has been set up for countries like

the US, China and Russia to ensure that everyone is communicating directly

when the clock strikes 12. With nuclear weapons specialists all gathered

together, the lines of communication will be open -- just in case the Y2K bug

mistakenly informs someone that a nuclear weapon has been deployed.

The Big Day

One thing is for sure, the world will not know the full extent of the Y2K

problem until the "big day." That's motivation enough for Mark Dennen of Sandy

Hook.

"You buy insurance not because you expect your house is going to burn down,

but because you can't afford to lose it," he said. "I just don't want to be

out of power in the middle of winter."

Mr Adams, who is retired from United Technologies and remains familiar with

the aerospace industry, wonders what will happen to pipeline switches and

communication relays in satellites -- anything date sensitive.

"I've come to realize that Europe and the Pacific Rim countries are way behind

in their compliance. If JC Penney, for example, gets 75-80 percent of its

goods from Europe and southeast Asia and they're not compliant, people will be

laid off.

"I'm preparing for my family and any people locally who may need supplies --

long-term staple food," he said. "Even if we don't end up needing them at all,

I'll use the food sooner or later."

Mr Adams warned residents to watch out for those trying to exploit the Y2k

phenomenon. They are the ones who want to see panic.

Newtown Hardware reports that it has received word from distributors who have

suggested that the store stock up on lamp oil and batteries.

Newtown resident Stan Buonagurio owns the Connecticut Gun Exchange in Monroe.

He has reported a handful of customers who have purchased weapons due to the

threat.

"They worry because they believe the police will be too busy worrying about

themselves," he said. He noted that it is still early in the year and sales

are expected to increase. "People always seem to wait until the last minute to

do everything," he said.

And the clock at the post office keeps ticking...