"We began gearing up for Y2K last March," said John Blumenstock, Louisville Medical Center STATCARE's Executive Director.

While STATCARE believes that their medical equipment will function when the year rolls over Friday at midnight, they still want to be prepared in case of major phone or power outages.

"By 12:30 in the morning, we should know the status of our equipment and the essential services which we rely upon to do our job," Blumenstock said.

If phone service is interrupted, STATCARE will first attempt to forward their emergency numbers to a cellular phone. If electric power or gas is out, then STATCARE is prepared to relocate their Louisville helicopter, along with their dispatching staff and equipment, to University of Louisville Hospital by 1:30 AM EST. If necessary, their Glasgow-based helicopter would relocate to T.J. Samson Hospital's emergency department. 

"STATCARE will make every attempt to continue air ambulance service during this transition period," Blumenstock said.

STATCARE has also worked with Kentucky, Indiana, and regional Emergency Operations Centers to make sure that they are aware of every conceivable way that STATCARE can be contacted during a communications emergency. Kentucky and Indiana's command centers will relay requests for service received from county EOCs, if necessary, and Kentucky is prepared to provide emergency flight following through their state radio network. And STATCARE will work closely with the Childrens Hospital, Jewish Hospital, Norton Hospital, and University of Louisville Hospital Command Centers to help facilitate interhospital patient transfers.

"STATCARE will do our best to be there for you," Blumenstock said.

In the event of a severe regional or state-wide communications loss, the following phone numbers should be tried in the following order:

Regular emergency phone numbers that will be monitored either physically or through call-forwarding (busy signals may be encountered if STATCARE loses their additional roll-over lines, so keep communications brief and try to have enough information to prevent having to call back):

• 888-729-9111
• 800-345-7828
• 502-479-9111
• 502-629-7351

Back-up cellular phone numbers (these phones will only be active during the initial Year 2000 transition period, so don't keep these numbers for future use):

• 502-593-1701
• 502-641-4291
• 502-262-1251
• 502-593-0095