With nearly 100% of Alaska’s villages reporting…Y2K challenges are in retreat

CAMP DENALI, Alaska --- With more than 250 Alaskan communities reporting their favorable status – with lights, heat, and water working, senior State officials are cautiously optimistic that Alaska has, like other States, avoided serious or immediate Y2K challenges that could have disrupted infrastructure and services.

"We’re certainly pleased that this situation has worked out for us," said Brigadier General Phil Oates, Commissioner of the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs. "We may yet face some chronic Y2K issues down the road, but for now, we’ve managed to get past the rollover date," he added. "More than that, though, we’ve also been able to avoid some very serious problems by addressing a range of Y2K issues by working upgrade or replacement issues before they became truly serious threats to life and health," he said.

"We believe that there may well yet be some issues that pop up on the first of the coming week, but we’ll work them as they come to us," said Bob Poe, Commissioner for the Department of Administration. Meanwhile, Oates and Poe both believe that Alaskans have made some very serious progress through partnerships between business, government and volunteers. "We’ve certainly had a lot of important partners in working these Y2K issues – a wide variety of local, State and Federal agencies, private individuals – a lot of very good people who’ve stepped forward to work through these challenges," added Poe.

Through all of this preparation, officials stress, Alaskans are even better prepared to meet disasters and emergencies than they were before the Y2K challenge came along.

Joint Information Center Newsline: (907) 428-NEWS (6397)