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County Addressing Y2K Issues
Posted 2-21-1999
One “popular”’ concern facing county government and just about everyone
else is the Year 2000 (Y2K) problem.
Briefly, it is a concern that on January 1,
2000, everything with a micro chip in it will go haywire. The concern is because most
computers and other equipment have only two fields for the year and when it becomes 00,
the equipment won’t know how to process it, and it will think it means the year 1900.
We in county government, like many others,
are taking the concern seriously. While we do not perceive it as the coming of the
apocalypse, we do want written verification from every vendor providing software,
hardware, or any other equipment, that their product is Y2K compatible. An entire industry
has sprung up over this issue, and though we are looking for our vendors to provide
written documentation about their product, we also want to test systems over the upcoming
months. We don’t simply want something in writing that won’t help with the
problem on Jan. 1, 2000.
There are many systems within our
operations that may not initially come to mind about a Y2K concern. Our heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the slide card system we use to control
access to offices and buildings, the parks and roads fueling system, much of the prison
security system, the boiler system and medical equipment at Westmoreland Manor, fire alarm
systems, computer aided maintenance systems, and our 911 radio system are some of the
areas we must test to ensure Y2K compliance. We intend on taking an inventory of potential
system concerns and act accordingly. Our Director of County Information Systems has been
working to confirm compliance for the information systems under his jurisdiction. But his
expertise does not cross into some other areas, so we must form a committee from several
operational areas to oversee this process. The work may be time consuming and, if
corrections must be made, they may be costly. But it is critical that we are proactive
about the Y2K situation.
There is a growing concern from other
community leaders about equipment such as traffic signals and the potential problems
surrounding their Y2K compliance. I am not sure what other municipal governments or Penn
DOT are doing about those concerns. If you are concerned, ask your local leaders what they
are doing to ensure equipment under their control is Y2K compliant.
I’ve had the good fortune of hearing
some discussions on the Y2K issue, and while lecturers say it should be taken seriously,
they do not see it as an insurmountable problem. The lecturers believe banks have been
aware of the problems for years, and many have worked to resolve the problem. They did
caution about home computers and the need to test your system prior to New Year’s Day
2000. If you have a home alarm system, you need to have your provider test the system for
compliance.
This article is in no way meant to scare
you. It is written to bring to your attention a problem that government, business, and
individuals should all be aware of and prepared to resolve.
Being cautious and proactive is a wiser
policy than nonchalant and ill-prepared. I want to share with you that county government
is aware of the Y2K issue and working to resolve any potential problems. |
