Dear Friends,
Oakland Y2K groups have created a really good Y2K community preparedness flier with a number of Oakland institutions including city agencies. In their work, they have engaged a good range of stakeholders and viewpoints. The flier has a number of sensible sustainable suggestions like solar (they discourage use of generators), community gardens, neighborhood skills/special needs inventories, bicycles, composting, joint purchases of expensive equipment and more. I'm really impressed with their quiet, productive bridge-building approach.
Click here to download the .PDF file. Click here to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader (which you must have to view .PDF files)
Thanks to Chuck Eckerman for making this available on email in both text (see below) and as an Acrobat attachment (in v. 3.01 the text seems to be easiest to read at about 280% magnification).
Coheartedly,
Tom
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From: "Chuck Eckerman" <chuck@homecomputerworks.com> Subject: The City of Oakland's Y2K Trifold in PDF Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 07:49:37 -0700
Here it is everyone, the Official Y2K Trifold from The City of Oakland's Community Preparedness Partnership (Y2K-CPP). Special thanks to Rebecca Kaplan (Oakland 2001) for writing the document and Chris Sereda (HomeComputerWorks and Oakland Prepared Neighbors - OPN) for the graphics and document layout. Please forward this .PDF to everyone on your email distribution lists.
For those who have problems opening and viewing the Trifold as an attachment, I have included the text portion below. The printed version will be available through The City of Oakland's Fire Services Agency-OES by Wednesday, May 19th (510)238-3938.
Also, the Trifold will be available at the PortFest 99, Saturday, May 22nd, at Jack London Square from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Y2K-CPP will have a booth near TGIF and the Waterfront Plaza Hotel. Stop by and get the latest Y2K information.
And feel free to contact Y2K-CPP at (510)238-3938 or Oakland Prepared Neighbors.
Regards,
Chuck Eckerman Executive Director and Co-Founder Oakland Prepared Neighbors www.homecomputerworks.com Tel: 510-420-5772 Fax: 510-595-0593
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*** TRIFOLD TEXT
***What Is Y2K? Y2K refers to the Year 2000 computer problem which will occur because many computers and electronic equipment that record the year in 2 digits ("99" for 1999) will be unable to correctly identify "00" as 2000, causing them to produce incorrect data, malfunction or shut down.
While many people are working very hard to fix these systems, it is often hard to know which machines have problems. There is not enough time or enough programmers to fix all of the systems before January 1st, 2000.
How Does This Impact Us? Computers affect many aspects of our daily lives, whether or not we own or use them. Tests have found malfunctions in systems ranging from payroll to water treatment plants to car manufacturing. We now know that some systems will fail on or around New Year's 2000, but we cannot say with certainty which ones will malfunction, or how seriously. It is possible that there will be disruption in services such as electricity, air travel, water treatment, pagers, etc. In our complex society, systems are highly interconnected -- a malfunction in one system could have multiple effects. We should all take steps to prepare for possible disruptions and approach this challenge in a calm, supportive way.
General Preparedness Tips.
Water: Store clean water for drinking and food preparation. You can use rinsed soda bottles or water-storage jugs. 1-2 gallons per person per day. Have a water filter or purification tablets.
Food: Store non-perishables such as canned goods and dried foods. Consider food which does not require cooking, unless you have a safe cooking alternative. Do NOT use an open flame or camp stove indoors. Supplement your food supply by gardening, canning, sprouting beans in jars.
Medical Needs: Keep extra supplies of any medications, eye glasses, etc. on hand. If possible, avoid being in a hospital over New Year's. Consider taking a basic first-aid course.
Heat: Have warm clothes and extra blankets on hand. Do NOT light fires indoors except in devices designed for that purpose.
Records: Keep paper copies of important financial and legal documents.
Transport: Fill your gas tank ahead of time. Have a bicycle or other form of transportation ready, or plan to stay near home.
Waste: Compost food scraps. Consider a compost toilet or "camp toilet," and heavy duty plastic bags for other wastes.
Computerized Equipment: Contact the manufacturer or retailer regarding computers and computerized equipment (such as programmable thermostat or security system), and ask if it is Y2K compliant, or what changes or upgrades are necessary.
Other Supplies: Have flashlights and a radio on hand (solar or battery powered); basic first aid kit, non-electric can opener, fire extinguisher, non-electric tools.
Electricity: Consider battery-powered, manual or solar options in case of power outages. Fuel-powered generators can be very dangerous because of the fumes and fire risk. Do not attach any generator to your electric main, as the power may injure utility workers.
What You Can Do To Prepare As a neighborhood: Create a neighborhood network host an area meeting talk about plans for possible scenarios designate block captains organize a neighborhood watch conduct a resource/skills inventory perform a special needs assessment Establish community gardens Establish a communication center (walkie talkies, ham radio) Make joint purchases of shared resources (camp stoves, composting toilets, solar panels) Work together with other local organizations, such as the Neighborhood Service Coordinators (Oakland Police Dept.) local religious and social service organizations, etc. Help other neighbors become informed about Y2K and help each other respond responsibly. Schedule a CORE training together (a project of the Oakland Fire Services Agency). 510-238-6351.
Resources for Additional Information: The City of Oakland's Y2K Hotline is 510-238-4Y2K. Oakland Prepared Neighbors, educating and preparing residents of Oakland for any Y2K issues or any other disaster, Block by Block. 510-420-5772 or www.homecomputerworks.com. Oakland 2001: Y2K Network for Community Preparedness & Advocacy Phone: (510) 595-5505. Email: oak2001-org@anamorph.com Information is also available on the City's web page at www.oaklandnet.com
If there is an emergency, tune your radio to 530 AM for information, remain calm, and stay home if possible. During New Year's 2000 try to avoid travel.
This document produced by Y2K Community Preparedness Partnership (a multi-agency task force, hosted by Oakland's Office of Emergency Services). Y2K-CPP can be reach at (510) 238-3938.