‘Y2K’ contingency plan in place at crisis centre

If the first days of the new millennium bring power and heating interruptions to the district, the Atikokan Crisis Centre won’t be left out in the cold.
It still will be a safe and secure place for women and children, executive director Kathy Latell confirmed last week.
Contingency plans to head off potential “Y2K” problems–especially where the centre’s security features are concerned–already are in place there.
“Security is a big concern [and] that’s why we have a generator,” said Latell. “Even though we’re getting the word from Ontario Hydro that everything will be okay, measures are in place.”
A recent public appeal for blankets also was undertaken as an extra precaution, she noted.
Latell also stressed the crisis line would remain operable even if other phone lines in the building were disabled.
“[The crisis line] does not require power in order to work,” she explained. “The others are display phones and have to be plugged in.
“We will work together with [service providers] with the contingency plan,” Latell continued, noting that plan included the use of walkie-talkies and radio phones for communication between police or hospitals should the need arise.
Meanwhile, Latell said the crisis centre has seen, on average over the last year, a 40 percent reduction in the number of women who used the facility–a fact she attributed to ongoing uncertainty among victims of abuse about how funding cuts will affect their chances of independent living.
“They are so unsure about cuts because that’s all they hear,’” said Latell. “They fear ‘Where do I go’ [and] ‘Can I survive?’ They are well aware of how difficult it is to change and move forward.
“Ultimately, they return to abusive [situations],” she admitted.
The crisis centre also is in need of more volunteers–namely to drive women to the shelter and to be advocates at court proceedings and medical treatments.
But volunteers can’t come on board without intensive training and that’s on the backburner due to funding cuts.
“Training is important because we all have to be coming from the same place,” Latell stressed.