The Southern Maryland Millennium Action Committee (SMMAC)

The Year 2000 finally arrived and this is our take on it:

    As of January 1, 2000, all was Y2K okay with the world. Thank God. Y2K slipped through the hour without any reported major glitches.  Although no one knew with certainty what would happen, the speculation spanned the spectrum of opinion from “gloom and doom” to nothing more than a “speed bump.”  The speed bumpers were more nearly correct. And the only reason seems to be that the previous 2-3 years and billions of dollars (est. 500+) in testing and repair paid off. We can say with pride that at least we did our part as a community and our members who worked both locally and at the national level on the Y2K Coalition 2000 Network.

        Some of our members' general observations about this granddaddy of all “False Alarms” (Actually it was not a false alarm, but rather one that was heeded and addressed adequately before it created havoc.) :

"In order to stem fear and panic, governments did their best to prevent full disclosure of Y2K risks and spin a positive story for the consumption of the undiscerning populace. It worked. No panic and very little fear - worldwide."

"Although the main stream media did not inform the public about Y2K in an adequate, timely, and balanced manner, it probably turned out for the best in the long run since it had the potential of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy had everyone been totally prepared or tried to at the last minute."

"It is also possible that major problems will begin to develop worldwide more slowly as the days and weeks pass. It may be like having cancer and not knowing it. If so, I’m not sure we’ll ever know they were Y2K problems."

"The reality is that we did very well averting crisis and disaster, the economics are complex and easily misunderstood but of course there was some waste as well as some fine investment."

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The Southern Maryland Millennium Action Committee (SMMAC) was one of the earliest groups formed in the country to address the Year 2000 problem at a local, regional level. and provide Information for Education and Preparation.  The Group held a practical position and mission statement.

Position:  We advocate planning and preparedness in the event Year 2000 related disruptions occur. The Year 2000 (Y2K) problem, although its source is computer related, is not a just a technical problem or mental exercise — it's a social challenge.

Whether hype or disaster, we can and should take steps to protect our families, neighbors, friends, and ourselves, regardless. Time will determine who was right, and who was wrong.

Mission:  The Committee is formed to address the Year 2000 Problem on a regional and local basis by providing:

Background:  The Year 2000 (Y2K) computer issue poses a potential disruptive threat to all areas of our life which are in any way supported, regulated, controlled, or monitored by any function of computer related technology. In one way or another, this is nearly everything.

In order to preserve quality of life, maintain business and government operations and avoid socio-economic turmoil, we must develop and implement systematic strategies and action plans in the short time remaining to meet the Year 2000 challenge for both compliance and contingency efforts.

PREPARATION: Y2K-Preparedness Grid for Washington, DC and the Region 
CURRENT: Daily Y2K Press Clippings: (Peter de Jager's site) or for CBN site      What's New with Y2K?  for good link to diverse current articles News Articles and items of interest Check this regularly for new items and updates of previous ones.
SMMAC Press Releases
Church Plan:   6-slide presentation -Church quick planning guide (suitable for organizational meetings)
Links:  click here Excellent comprehensive list categorized by Awareness, Preparation, and Community Action