Homeland Security Director Ridge Introduces New Terrorist Alert System

(Says new color-coded system offers flexibility) (2000)





Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge announced in Washington March 12


details of the new Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS) his office


has put together to measure and evaluate terrorist threats and


communicate them to the public in a timely manner.





"It is a national framework, yet it is flexible enough to apply to


threats made against a city, a state, a sector, or an industry,"


Ridge, the former governor of Pennsylvania, said in a speech in


Washington, DC.





"It provides a common vocabulary, so officials from all levels of


government can communicate easily with one another and to the public.


It provides clear, easy-to-understand factors which help measure the


threat. And most importantly, it empowers government and citizens to


take actions to address the threat. For every level of threat, there


will be a level of preparedness. It is a system that is equal to the


threat," President Bush's advisor for Homeland Security said in a


speech at Constitution Hall.





The advisory system, Ridge said, is based on five threat conditions:


low, guarded, elevated, high, and severe, represented, from the lowest


to the highest, by five colors -- green, blue, yellow, orange, and


red.





"The nation currently stands in the yellow condition -- an elevated


risk," Ridge said. "Chances are, we will not be able to lower the


condition to green until the terror networks of global reach have been


defeated and dismantled."





In conjunction with Ridge's speech, the White House March 12 released


Homeland Security Presidential Directive 3, signed by President Bush,


creating the Homeland Security Advisory System.





Following is the White House text:





(begin text)





THE WHITE HOUSE


Office of the Press Secretary





March 12, 2002





HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE-3





Purpose





The Nation requires a Homeland Security Advisory System to provide a


comprehensive and effective means to disseminate information regarding


the risk of terrorist acts to Federal, State, and local authorities


and to the American people. Such a system would provide warnings in


the form of a set of graduated "Threat Conditions" that would increase


as the risk of the threat increases. At each Threat Condition, Federal


departments and agencies would implement a corresponding set of


"Protective Measures" to further reduce vulnerability or increase


response capability during a period of heightened alert.





This system is intended to create a common vocabulary, context, and


structure for an ongoing national discussion about the nature of the


threats that confront the homeland and the appropriate measures that


should be taken in response. It seeks to inform and facilitate


decisions appropriate to different levels of government and to private


citizens at home and at work.





Homeland Security Advisory System





The Homeland Security Advisory System shall be binding on the


executive branch and suggested, although voluntary, to other levels of


government and the private sector. There are five Threat Conditions,


each identified by a description and corresponding color. From lowest


to highest, the levels and colors are:





Low = Green; Guarded = Blue; Elevated = Yellow; High = Orange; Severe


= Red.





The higher the Threat Condition, the greater the risk of a terrorist


attack. Risk includes both the probability of an attack occurring and


its potential gravity. Threat Conditions shall be assigned by the


Attorney General in consultation with the Assistant to the President


for Homeland Security. Except in exigent circumstances, the Attorney


General shall seek the views of the appropriate Homeland Security


Principals or their subordinates, and other parties as appropriate, on


the Threat Condition to be assigned. Threat Conditions may be assigned


for the entire Nation, or they may be set for a particular geographic


area or industrial sector. Assigned Threat Conditions shall be


reviewed at regular intervals to determine whether adjustments are


warranted.





For facilities, personnel, and operations inside the territorial


United States, all Federal departments, agencies, and offices other


than military facilities shall conform their existing threat advisory


systems to this system and henceforth administer their systems


consistent with the determination of the Attorney General with regard


to the Threat Condition in effect.





The assignment of a Threat Condition shall prompt the implementation


of an appropriate set of Protective Measures. Protective Measures are


the specific steps an organization shall take to reduce its


vulnerability or increase its ability to respond during a period of


heightened alert. The authority to craft and implement Protective


Measures rests with the Federal departments and agencies. It is


recognized that departments and agencies may have several preplanned


sets of responses to a particular Threat Condition to facilitate a


rapid, appropriate, and tailored response. Department and agency heads


are responsible for developing their own Protective Measures and other


antiterrorism or self-protection and continuity plans, and resourcing,


rehearsing, documenting, and maintaining these plans. Likewise, they


retain the authority to respond, as necessary, to risks, threats,


incidents, or events at facilities within the specific jurisdiction of


their department or agency, and, as authorized by law, to direct


agencies and industries to implement their own Protective Measures.


They shall continue to be responsible for taking all appropriate


proactive steps to reduce the vulnerability of their personnel and


facilities to terrorist attack. Federal department and agency heads


shall submit an annual written report to the President, through the


Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, describing the steps


they have taken to develop and implement appropriate Protective


Measures for each Threat Condition. Governors, mayors, and the leaders


of other organizations are encouraged to conduct a similar review of


their organizations.





Protective Measures.





The decision whether to publicly announce Threat Conditions shall be


made on a case-by-case basis by the Attorney General in consultation


with the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security. Every


effort shall be made to share as much information regarding the threat


as possible, consistent with the safety of the Nation. The Attorney


General shall ensure, consistent with the safety of the Nation, that


State and local government officials and law enforcement authorities


are provided the most relevant and timely information. The Attorney


General shall be responsible for identifying any other information


developed in the threat assessment process that would be useful to


State and local officials and others and conveying it to them as


permitted consistent with the constraints of classification. The


Attorney General shall establish a process and a system for conveying


relevant information to Federal, State, and local government


officials, law enforcement authorities, and the private sector


expeditiously.





The Director of Central Intelligence and the Attorney General shall


ensure that a continuous and timely flow of integrated threat


assessments and reports is provided to the President, the Vice


President, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, the


Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, and the Assistant to


the President for National Security Affairs. Whenever possible and


practicable, these integrated threat assessments and reports shall be


reviewed and commented upon by the wider interagency community.





A decision on which Threat Condition to assign shall integrate a


variety of considerations. This integration will rely on qualitative


assessment, not quantitative calculation. Higher Threat Conditions


indicate greater risk of a terrorist act, with risk including both


probability and gravity. Despite best efforts, there can be no


guarantee that, at any given Threat Condition, a terrorist attack will


not occur. An initial and important factor is the quality of the


threat information itself. The evaluation of this threat information


shall include, but not be limited to, the following factors:





1. To what degree is the threat information credible?





2. To what degree is the threat information corroborated?





3. To what degree is the threat specific and/or imminent?





4. How grave are the potential consequences of the threat?





Threat Conditions and Associated Protective Measures





The world has changed since September 11, 2001. We remain a Nation at


risk to terrorist attacks and will remain at risk for the foreseeable


future. At all Threat Conditions, we must remain vigilant, prepared,


and ready to deter terrorist attacks. The following Threat Conditions


each represent an increasing risk of terrorist attacks. Beneath each


Threat Condition are some suggested Protective Measures, recognizing


that the heads of Federal departments and agencies are responsible for


developing and implementing appropriate agency-specific Protective


Measures:





1. Low Condition (Green). This condition is declared when there is a


low risk of terrorist attacks. Federal departments and agencies should


consider the following general measures in addition to the


agency-specific Protective Measures they develop and implement: a)


Refining and exercising as appropriate preplanned Protective Measures;


b) Ensuring personnel receive proper training on the Homeland Security


Advisory System and specific preplanned department or agency


Protective Measures; and c) Institutionalizing a process to assure


that all facilities and regulated sectors are regularly assessed for


vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks, and all reasonable measures are


taken to mitigate these vulnerabilities.





2. Guarded Condition (Blue). This condition is declared when there is


a general risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the Protective


Measures taken in the previous Threat Condition, Federal departments


and agencies should consider the following general measures in


addition to the agency-specific Protective Measures that they will


develop and implement: a) Checking communications with designated


emergency response or command locations; b) Reviewing and updating


emergency response procedures; and c) Providing the public with any


information that would strengthen its ability to act appropriately.





3. Elevated Condition (Yellow). An Elevated Condition is declared when


there is a significant risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the


Protective Measures taken in the previous Threat Conditions, Federal


departments and agencies should consider the following general


measures in addition to the Protective Measures that they will develop


and implement: a) Increasing surveillance of critical locations; b)


Coordinating emergency plans as appropriate with nearby jurisdictions;


c) Assessing whether the precise characteristics of the threat require


the further refinement of preplanned Protective Measures; and d)


Implementing, as appropriate, contingency and emergency response


plans.





4. High Condition (Orange). A High Condition is declared when there is


a high risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the Protective


Measures taken in the previous Threat Conditions, Federal departments


and agencies should consider the following general measures in


addition to the agency-specific Protective Measures that they will


develop and implement: a) Coordinating necessary security efforts with


Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies or any National


Guard or other appropriate armed forces organizations; b) Taking


additional precautions at public events and possibly considering


alternative venues or even cancellation; c) Preparing to execute


contingency procedures, such as moving to an alternate site or


dispersing their workforce; and d) Restricting threatened facility


access to essential personnel only.





5. Severe Condition (Red). A Severe Condition reflects a severe risk


of terrorist attacks. Under most circumstances, the Protective


Measures for a Severe Condition are not intended to be sustained for


substantial periods of time. In addition to the Protective Measures in


the previous Threat Conditions, Federal departments and agencies also


should consider the following general measures in addition to the


agency-specific Protective Measures that they will develop and


implement: a) Increasing or redirecting personnel to address critical


emergency needs; b) Assigning emergency response personnel and


pre-positioning and mobilizing specially trained teams or resources;


c) Monitoring, redirecting, or constraining transportation systems;


and d) Closing public and government facilities.





Comment and Review Periods





The Attorney General, in consultation and coordination with the


Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, shall, for 45 days


from the date of this directive, seek the views of government


officials at all levels and of public interest groups and the private


sector on the proposed Homeland Security Advisory System.





One hundred thirty-five days from the date of this directive the


Attorney General, after consultation and coordination with the


Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, and having


considered the views received during the comment period, shall


recommend to the President in writing proposed refinements to the


Homeland Security Advisory System.





GEORGE W. BUSH





(end White House text)