I received a copy of the US Coast Guard Y2K booklet in the mail today. Well done, well reasoned, with some interesting reading:

"On January 1, 2000, regions of our country could lose electrical power, heat, or telephone service.

"There exists the possibility that you might not have access to your bank or adequate food or gasoline." [Cover]

"Coast Guard personneol are the most important part of our readiness; this information will help you and your family prepare for Y2K, so you can help the Coast Guard deliver the ervicesw our customers depend on."

"Coast Guard personnel will be expected to perform their jobs regardless of the severity of Y2K, just as we do in other disasters, such as hurricanes and floods...it is everyone's responsibility to individually prepare."

"Prepare as you would for a major storm...only realize your opportunities to relocate may be impacted by the scope of Y2K."

"If you do not prepare early, you may have to pay inflated prices for items you need."

"Use the following checklists to think about individual Y2K impacts and how to deal with them. Not all items will apply to you...and there may be others not on the list. The recommendations on what to purchase are just that, recommendations...you must decide for yourself which of the items apply, and whether the recommended levels or dates meet your needs.

"Share these checklists with your family...make them a part of Y2K preparation."

Checklist...

"Store seven-day's worth of bulk and paper goods."

"Cash. Have access to 1 week of cash reserve. Set aside some cash each month. Expect some price hikes."

"Prescriptions filled for one month."

"PERSONAL SAFETY. Do you have to answer the door? Who is allowed to answer the door? Can you see who it is without opening the door? Can you talk through a window? Do you have to help someone who asks? When do you close the door? Do you know of another place to go if you feel threatened in your own home? Do you have a non-moveable home safe to store money, important documents, and other valuables?"

"FOOD. Stores may be unable to opoen and stores that can sell items may empty quickly at higher prices. Shortages of needed supplies could begin around December 1st as other people's late preparations begin to affect store supplies. There is no need to buy special foods, if you do not want to, as most grocery goods will last one year. Buy canned foods, which need minimal cooking. Keep receipts and descriptions of food items purchased, especially in the event of price hikes - these hikes may be illegal and you will need receipts and descriptions to recoup refunds."

"WATER. Again, plan for shortages of store-bought water beginning around December 1st.

Store seven days worth of water for the entire family, including any pets, in containers such as soda bottles and used water jugs."

[The 14 page phamphlet goes on to talk about heat, lighting, sanitation, phones/communications/documents, finances, transportation, and medical.]

The upshot seems to be that at least the Coast Guard is willing to prepare for more than a three day storm. But remember, their motto: Semper Paratus, means always prepared.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), July 14, 1999

Answers

Attention: Starting this Friday whoppers will be on sale for 88 cents at your local Burger King.

-- Y2K Pro (2@641.com), July 14, 1999.

I think this Coast Guard document would have a lot of impact on a DWGI who isn't preparing at all. It may tend to cause those who are already preparing to lessen their preps, if they had been planning on doing more than what is recommended here. I don't think I'll link to this on my web site, for that reason, but I might share it with some neighbors if I find that they are doing absolutely nothing.

The Coast Guard acknowledges that shortages may begin December 1st or earlier, and then, in the next line suggests stocking only seven days of water. It strikes me there's a disconnect in that one.

To the handle, CPR: Can it... I'm only serious.

-- Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr near Monterey, California (addy.available@my.webpage.neener.autospammers--regrets.greenspun), July 14, 1999.

Whoops, I mean Y2K Pro, not CPR... sorry, I'm not paying good attention. Advice still holds.

-- Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr near Monterey, California (addy.available@my.webpage.neener.autospammers--regrets.greenspun), July 14, 1999.

How can we get a copy of that phamplet, or is it on a website we can access?

-- Palavia (mom@home.com), July 14, 1999.

I'm with "Palavia", where can we obtain a copy of this?

-- Mike (midwestmike_@hotmail.com), July 14, 1999.

I TRIED to find a pdf of the pamphlet at www.uscg.mil, but tried several links to no avail.

Come on Mad Monk, this thing has to be available outside of obvious coastal regions (like Kauai).

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), July 14, 1999.

Heck, scan the thing and ship the GIFs. We're dyin' out here!

-- bw (home@puget.sound), July 14, 1999.

Doesn't the Coast Guard have money for a spell checker? Misspelled "open", "services", "personnel"? And the grammer is less than perfect, but we expect that, dontcha know. Or was this paraphrasing instead of a copy-paste?

No offense, but instead of the GIF's I guess I'd like to see an official site as a download source.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), July 14, 1999.

I went to the officail site:

http://www.ngb.dtic.mil/y2k/hottopic.htm

The answers are fragmented all over the place. Slow site also.

-- Mike (midwestmike_@hotmail.com), July 14, 1999.

I apologize. The snippy personality took over my body for a minute, back there. Of COURSE you were keying it in, not copy-paste, because you got it in the mail!

Then my snippy side and warm fuzzy side both went to a meeting, giving you time to jump on me. Nobody did. What nice people.

-- bw (home@puget.sound), July 14, 1999.