The last national Y2K training exercise, involving local authorities and service providers from around the country, will be held today Friday, 17 December.

After months of planning the Council's Y2K command centre will be put through its paces one last time. The exercise is the final practice run before New Year's Eve and mock Y2K incidents will test contingency response procedures and communication methods.

The Y2K project team and Council Command Centre staff will respond to mock incidents reported by cell-phone, fax, radio-telephone, trunk-radio and a variety of other means.

The incidents will then be reported to the Regional Monitoring Centre at the Canterbury Regional Council and sent on to the National Monitoring Centre in Wellington.

Y2K Project Manager John de Zwart says the exercise will allow staff working together in the Command Centre on New Year's Eve to get to know one another as well as familiarise themselves with the various roles they will be taking.

"We want to make sure everyone knows what they are doing so they are familiar with the roles they will be performing on New Year's Eve. We have checked Council systems thoroughly for Y2K readiness and developed detailed contingency plans that will enable the provision of Council services in the unlikely event of Y2K problems. This exercise is the final preparedness activity before the big night."

Y2K Project Manager John de Zwart and members of the Council Y2K Project Team will be available for interviews. At 1:30pm, a tour of the Council's Y2K Command Centre will be conducted.

Where? Civic Offices, Conference Rooms B&C, (third floor)

When? Today, Friday, December 17

What time? 1:30 - 2pm

Who will be available? Council Y2K Project Manager, John de Zwart and members of the Y2K project team

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