December 29,1999
Mayor Visits District's Y2K Command Center
Emergency Management Agency Declares Command Center Operational
(Washington, D.C.) - Mayor Anthony A. Williams, joined by members of his Cabinet and Councilmembers, toured the District's Command Center, Media Information Center and Mobile Command Center at the Franklin D. Reeves Center on 14th and U Streets, NW, today. This was the Mayor's first chance to see the center since it became operational for the purposes of Y2K rollover.
"From this command center - in conjunction with our mobile command center on 14th and Constitution - we can monitor what's happening in the city," said the Mayor. "Most importantly, we will bring all of our agencies together under one roof to ensure that any possible situation is addressed quickly before a problem becomes a crisis. We will also be coordinating with our community partners, who will also be on site."
The District's Command Center will be fully operational beginning at 8 a.m. on December 31 and will remain fully operational until 8 a.m. January 4. The Center will have representatives from all the District government agencies, including community partners such as the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority, PEPCO, Bell Atlantic and Red Cross.
"I'm proud to tell you today that we have met our goal. We're ready for Y2K, said the Mayor. "Residents, businesses, and visitors can rest assured that city services will function. We can all focus on enjoying the holidays and celebrating the millennium."
The Mobile Command center is a 37-foot long specially-equipped vehicle that will serve as key component to the command center operation by allowing the Emergency Management Agency to get close and monitor any potentially dangerous situations. The vehicle cost more than $450,000 and replaces two older vehicles.
The District Wide Call Center (727-1000) will be open around the clock starting December 31, 1999 until noon on January 1, 2000.
Hourly briefings will be held on the half-hour for the media from 11:30 a.m., December 31, 1999 until 1:30 p.m., January 1, 2000
