N.C. County Changes Y2K Advice

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N.C. County Changes Y2K Advice

Updated 11:08 AM ET December 20, 1999

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) - Durham County has changed its Web site tips for dealing with Y2K since critics took issue with suggestions that included stashing silver and gold coins, buying portable toilets and collecting rainwater.

"I think this is interesting reading but I think they should have realized that some people could be scared and that some people could overreact," said Ilse Fogl, director of the N.C. Year 2000 Project Office. "I truly would not want somebody to read this and think it was needed because of the year 2000, because I don't believe that it will be."

The earlier suggestions also recommended stockpiling chocolate and cigarettes for barter and obtaining a solar oven. Now the "Citizen's Checklist" suggests having a two-week supply of food, water and medicines, stocking up on flashlight batteries and having a camp stove for cooking.

County leaders defended the earlier tips.

"I think it's very lighthearted in the way it's presented and just some things that people want to consider," said county manager David Thompson. "I don't think it's presenting a major disaster."

Dale Vecchio, who tracks year 2000 issues for the Gartner Group, a leading computer consulting company, said Durham County's Web site was "probably as extreme as I've seen."

"There is a delicate balance between ensuring your citizenry are informed and inducing behavior that makes the matter worse," he said. "One of the concerns that we have is that people's actions in anticipation of failure will create a bigger problem than the failures themselves."

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Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), December 20, 1999

Answers

Now the "Citizen's Checklist" suggests having a two-week supply of food, water and medicines, stocking up on flashlight batteries and having a camp stove for cooking.
Damn, I used to live in Durham NC, this 2 week stuff is serious... what happens in the upper half of the country in January 00 with no power for 2 weeks ??!!!

-- Dan G (thepcguru@hotmail.com), December 20, 1999.

'Dale Vecchio, who tracks year 2000 issues for the Gartner Group, a leading computer consulting company, said Durham County's Web site was "probably as extreme as I've seen."'

My, my, but Dale Vecchio doesn't get around the web much...obviously doesn't spend much time here, on Gary North's site, the CBM site, or any number of preparedness sites...

Given the recent SC disasters, two weeeks seems like a nice lower limit of standard preparedness!

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), December 20, 1999.


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