Excerpt from: SRY2K/Executive Summary
http://www.critt.com/docs/senateY2K-intro.htm

The Committee has found that the most frustrating aspect of addressing the Year 2000 (Y2K) problem is sorting fact from fiction.

Excerpt from: SRY2K/Executive Summary/Government
http://www.critt.com/docs/senateY2K-intro.htm#A8

Of greatest concern to the Committee is the ability of local communities to provide 911 and emergency services.

Excerpt from: SRY2K/General Government/Emergency Preparedness/Overview
http://www.critt.com/docs/senateY2K-gengov.htm#a1

Most 911 emergency dispatch centers, known as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP), are highly automated, particularly in the case of enhanced 911 systems. Enhanced 911 systems are those which automatically provide the caller’s location and phone number to the 911 operator. According to the FCC, the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) has identified 50 pieces of equipment within a PSAP that have Y2K vulnerabilities. There are approximately 4,500 PSAPs located throughout the United States.

Excerpt from: SRY2K/General Government/Emergency Preparedness/U.S. Emergency Services Structure
http://www.critt.com/docs/senateY2K-gengov.htm#a4

Ninety percent of the U.S. population is covered by 911 service.

Excerpt from: SRY2K/General Government/Other Y2K Emergency Services Initiatives/Assesments
http://www.critt.com/docs/senateY2K-gengov.htm#b3

As the available survey data indicates, there is a startling lack of preparedness at the state and local levels of government.

Excerpt from: SRY2K/General Government/Other Y2K Emergency Services Initiatives/Assesments
http://www.critt.com/docs/senateY2K-gengov.htm#b4

While it is clear that an effective mechanism exists at the federal level to coordinate resources in the event of Y2K related emergencies or disruptions, there is still concern about the Y2K awareness and preparedness levels of emergency service providers at the county and local levels.

Excerpt from: Denton Texas Y2K Meeting Minutes
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000e8R

Lovett did a Y2K test back in December, and are publishing the results now—found that all City functions were Y2K compliant, but all emergency services were compromised because of interoperability dependence on external systems.

- got PSAP? - got interface? - got end-to-end testing?

~C~

-- Critt Jarvis (middleground@critt.com), March 24, 1999

Answers

Y2K May Impact Local Emergency Services (03/22/99, 8:52 p.m. ET) By Mary Mosquera, TechWeb WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Americans may experience some disruption in state and local emergency services because they lag in preparation for the year 2000 computer problem, emergency officials told lawmakers on Monday. Fire service and 9-1-1 calling centers, in particular, need increased attention, said Mike Walker, deputy director, Federal Emergency Management Agency before the House Government Reform Committee. FEMA is working more closely now with state emergency services, which expect to be fully compliant by Jan. 1. Currently, only 17 percent of 9-1-1 centers and 35 percent of fire departments are prepared.

Link to TechWeb article on this thread:
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000d tk

-- Mr. Kennedy (here@here.com), March 24, 1999.

Thanks Critt! Will eMail this to our firemen.

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), March 24, 1999.

One more article and snip about 911. Notice the part I put in bold type:

"Local governments lag in Y2K preparedness"

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0399/032399t2.htm

[snip]

FEMA serves on the President's Council on Y2K Conversion, and has been responsible for urging emergency agencies that manage 911 centers and fire service stations to take a look at their computer systems and spend money on fixing the Y2K bug.

Fire stations are farther along, with 35 percent reporting they have fixed their problems, and 77 percent actively working to solve the bug. Only 17 percent of 911 centers have fixed their computer problems, though 69 percent expect to eradicate the computer bug by Jan. 1, Walker said.

[snip]

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), March 24, 1999.