Fifteen South Florida agencies' computers for payroll, accounting and other services are not Y2K-ready

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Published Tuesday, November 16, 1999, in the Miami Herald

Not all agencies ready for Y2K Get prepared, state urges them STEVE BOUSQUET sbousquet@herald.com

TALLAHASSEE -- With the year 2000 just 45 days away, most computers that keep Floridians safe and healthy are Y2K-ready, but some are not, and emergency planners say it's still too soon to celebrate.

The Year 2000 laggards in South Florida include a state-run hospital for mentally ill defendants in Miami, the cities of Surfside, South Miami, Hialeah Gardens, Parkland and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, five hospitals and a Broward ambulance company.

Experts also offered some Y2K advice to Floridians on Monday, advising people to make contingency plans to avoid hurricane-style panic buying on Dec. 31. One worst-case scenario already being rehearsed by emergency planners foresees long lines at automated teller machines, gas stations, and supermarkets.

``We do believe any problems we have relative to Y2K will be largely man-made,'' said Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan, Florida's point man for Y2K compliance. ``They will be people who haven't made themselves aware to be satisfied that they don't need to take their life savings out of the bank. . . . Banks are still the safest places to keep one's money.''

Fifteen South Florida agencies' computers for payroll, accounting and other services are not Y2K-ready, placing them among 67 agencies on the state's ``critical concern'' list. But the list is updated frequently, and some agencies may be listed only because they have never sent any Y2K progress reports to Tallahassee.

``People need to know that this information is important -- and when we ask for it to be reported, we're not asking just to collect data,'' Brogan said.

Case in point: The South Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center, a 200-bed maximum-security complex on Northwest Seventh Avenue in Miami that houses defendants judged mentally unfit to stand trial. The center, run by the Department of Children and Families, drew a compliance rating of zero, largely because of its unresponsiveness to the state Y2K office.

``We have called them on at least three different occasions and they have not called us back,'' said Glenn Mayne, a Y2K compliance officer for the state.

LaNedra Carroll, a spokeswoman for Children and Families, said the center's new phone system is being tested and a computer in the snack bar needed to be updated, but she was not aware of any other Y2K problems. Asked if the hospital ignored requests for information, Carroll said: ``That could very well be the case.''

PEMBROKE PARK

The town of Pembroke Park's fire-rescue service also drew a zero from the state. But Town Commissioner John Lyons, who until recently was also the fire commissioner, said the town's fire-rescue system has merged with Broward County's. ``If Broward County isn't listed, then our guys are all right,'' Lyons said.

Even the state Division of Emergency Management needs a contingency plan. Director Joe Myers said a statewide backup command center is most likely to be at Broward's emergency operations shelter in Plantation, which he called one of the best in the country.

``They've even got a day-care center for the work force and their families,'' Myers said.

DRILL PLANNED

More than a dozen state agencies will converge on the Broward center for a Y2K drill on Dec. 1.

The center, at 201 NW 84th Ave., was built about 2 1/2 years ago. The state contributed about $300,000 toward a renovation plan to make the center ready as a backup operations center.

The state says major utilities and banks are ready and every university, airport, seaport, tax collector, election supervisor, property appraiser, public defender and state attorney is 100 percent prepared.

As for the rest, the state considers them forewarned.

``This is not a `Gotcha!' '' Brogan said. ``It is not our intention or our desire to embarrass anybody. Far from it.''

Herald staff writer Jacqueline Charles contributed to this report.



-- pho (owennos@bigfoot.com), November 17, 1999

Answers

One worst-case scenario already being rehearsed by emergency planners foresees long lines at automated teller machines, gas stations, and supermarkets.
NO where near Worst-Case.

-- Dan G (thepcguru@hotmail.com), November 17, 1999.

I am working in South Florida (Dade) to develop neighborhood CERT teams to try to reduce social unrest.

-- JoseMiami (caris@prodigy.net), November 17, 1999.

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