People are to be advised to store extra food and candles at the end of the year to guard against potential Y2K problems. And police are drawing up contingency plans to deal with possible bank runs, chemical spills and failures in prison security, legislators were told yesterday. Officials would be running 'orchestrated and intensive public relations strategies' in the run-up to December 31, Assistant Commissioner of Police Peter Halliday told Legco's security panel. Deputy Secretary for Security Chang King-yiu said that domestic power and gas supplies were not a matter of life and death and losing them temporarily would not spark panic. 'We are considering giving some tips such as recommending people to prepare mobile phones and informing them of the nearest police stations,' she said. During the millennium changeover period, police will limit leave to a maximum of five per cent of staff. The Fire Services Department will ask off-duty staff to be on standby at critical buildings and the Immigration Department is to cancel all leave.
