The new National Terror Advisory System will give alerts specific to the threat and location, said DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, at a press conference held at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The color-coded system was to be phased out beginning Thursday; the new system takes effect in April.
The new two-tiered system classifies threats as either imminent or elevated, said Napolitano. Depending on the nature of the threat, the alert could be sent to a limited audience like law enforcement officials or more broadly to the American public through print, TV and social media. A clear summary of the threat, the actions being taken, the recommended steps and a specific end date for those actions will be included in the advisory.
“The new system reflects the reality that we must always be on alert and ready,” Napolitano said.
The system was devised by a bipartisan task force including representatives from various public-sector areas.
The former color-based system, often mocked by comedy shows like Saturday Night Live for being too vague for law enforcement, lawmakers and the public to take any specific action, was installed by President George W. Bush’s administration after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The five-tiered color warnings began with green at the bottom indicating a low threat level and ended with red at the top representing a severe danger for the public.
Over the past eight years, the levels have generally fluctuated between yellow and orange, signifying an elevated or high risk of attack. The system was elevated to red only once, when in 2006 terrorists threatened to blow up planes arriving from Great Britain.
