NOAA EMPLOYEES PART OF Y2K FEDERAL TEAM

January 4, 2000 — As the nation moved into the Year 2000 (Y2K), Americans wanted to know how computer systems in the United States and around the world handled the date change. The Information Coordination Center (ICC) of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion was the federal Government's central point for gathering, analyzing and summarizing information on system operations during the Y2K date rollover. Starting on December 28 and continuing through the rollover period, the ICC received Y2K status information from federal agencies, state and local governments, industry, and organizations across the nation. (Click image for larger view.)

A Joint Public Information Center (JPIC) was created to handle the public affairs role for the Council. Six employees from the Department of Commerce (DoC) volunteered to work in the JPIC to coordinate media responses to any DoC and NOAA-related issues. Working 12-hour shifts, each of these employees were responsible for monitoring DoC and NOAA information during the rollover period. Regular updates were created and provided to John Koskinen, chair of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion for use during his regular news conferences.

NOAA personnel working at the JPIC were Madelyn Appelbaum, Jana Goldman, Gene Louden and David Miller from NOAA's Office of Public and Constituent Affairs. Other Department of Commerce staff included Curt Cultice from the International Trade Administration and Michael Baum from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Related Story:

NOAA's National Weather Service is Y2K Ready

 

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