Survivalist food
store selling out

Attempts to stock up for months
has the retailer advising,
'Don't overdo'

By Christine Donnelly
Star-Bulletin

Survivalist food is selling briskly at Honolulu's military surplus warehouse, which the store's manager considers evidence that some islanders are going overboard preparing for Y2K.

"I hate to see people panic. Having two or three weeks' supply (of nonperishable food) is fine, but I've got some people already wanting two or three months' worth," said Sandii Kamaunu, an owner and general manager of Military HQ on Sand Island.

That the buying started so early -- and continues even amid signs that the so-called Y2K computer bug may be less disruptive than originally thought -- has Kamau- nu reining shoppers in.

"I tell them to think about what they really need, it's usually less," she said.

Especially popular at Military HQ are the civilian versions of the U.S. military's MRE, or "meals ready to eat."

The warehouse has sold about 125 cases in the past month, at $89.95 a case. Each case includes 12 meals, with a main dish such as beef stew, meat loaf or chili, a side dish, des-sert, beverage powder, condiments and utensils.

Although designed to be eaten straight out of the pouch, the 3,000-calorie meals -- good until 2007 -- taste better heated, said Kamaunu, who's been known to microwave one for lunch now and then. "It's palatable. It's not something you'd want to live on."

Military HQ is down to about 50 cases and will not get another shipment for several months. Also selling fast are solar radios and water purification tablets.

As for customers, Kamaunu said she's served everyone from large businesses carrying out clear-cut contingency plans to individuals with more vague fears of a millennial meltdown. The businesses tend to buy in reasonable amounts, she said, stocking up in case employees are sent to remote locations to repair phone or power lines, for example.

It's usually the individuals who go overboard, Kamaunu said, and she tries to allay their fears.

"We're all for being prepared, but don't overdo," she said. "I had one guy wanting six months' worth of bottled water. He lives in a high-rise. His floor might cave in!"

The so-called Y2K bug arose because many older computers were programmed to read only the final two digits of a year, as in 99 for 1999. They could malfunction when confronted with data dated 2000.

Businesses and governments around the world are spending billions of dollars to upgrade computers controlling everything from nuclear reactors to air traffic control systems. And early signs show the work paying off.

For example, April 1 marked the entry into fiscal year 2000 for Canada and the state of New York, and both made the switch without problems, according to several Internet sites devoted to the subject.

Also last week, Continental Airlines conducted a first-ever test of an air-to-ground data link communications system and said all went well.

And the federal government reported that 92 percent of its "mission critical" computer systems were ready for the year 2000.

For her own part, Kamaunu is not overly worried. And she hopes customers are comforted by her sense of ease.

"The biggest thing is the stress factor and the fear factor. They want to feel like they're doing something," she said.

"But they have to remember that sometimes you can do too much."