The prerecorded messages cover questions about banking, personal computers, airlines, telecommunications, electricity, food supply, what the government is doing and how to prepare for possible inconveniences or loss of services. Fifteen percent of callers choose to speak with an information specialist, said Gribben. Staff chuckle over some of the questions that come in, he said. The answer is no, said Gribben, adding that the hotline operators treat all questions seriously and will research a question when they don't know the answer. According to Gribben, since its debut Jan. 7, the hotline has received approximately 143,000 calls, an average of about 750 calls per day.
Operators keep track of demographics by requesting the ZIP codes of callers.
Not surprisingly, states with larger populations rank higher in terms of call volume. The states with the most callers are California, New York, Michigan, Illinois and Texas, said Gribben. Callers can access prerecorded messages 24 hours a day. Denis Lambert is a Vermont-based reporter.