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For Immediate Release
Gov. Ridge Announces Homeland Security Advisory System
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Governor Ridge's remarks
The Homeland Security Advisory System will provide a comprehensive and
effective means to disseminate information regarding the risk of terrorist
attacks to Federal, State, and local authorities and to the American people.
The Attorney General will be responsible for developing, implementing
and managing the system. In conjunction with the development of this new
system, the Attorney General will open a 45-day comment period in order
to seek the views of officials at all levels of government, law enforcement
and the American public. Ninety days after the conclusion of the comment
period, the Attorney General in coordination with the Director of the
Office of Homeland Security -- will present a final Homeland Security
Advisory System to the President for approval. The Homeland Security Advisory
System will provide the following:
National framework for Federal, State, and local governments, private
industry and the public. There are many federal alert systems
in our country -- each tailored and unique to different sectors of our
society: transportation , defense, agriculture, and weather, for example.
These alert systems fill vital and specific requirements for a variety
of situations in both the commercial and government sectors. The Homeland
Security Advisory System will provide a national framework for these systems,
allowing government officials and citizens to communicate the nature and
degree of terrorist threats. This advisory system characterizes appropriate
levels of vigilance, preparedness and readiness in a series of graduated
Threat Conditions. The Protective Measures that correspond to each Threat
Condition will help the government and citizens decide what action they
take to help counter and respond to terrorist activity. Based on the threat
level, Federal agencies will implement appropriate Protective Measures.
States and localities will be encouraged to adopt compatible systems.
Factors for assignment of Threat Conditions. The Homeland
Security Advisory System will provide a framework for the Attorney General,
in consultation with the Director of the Office of Homeland Security,
to assign Threat Conditions, which can apply nationally, regionally, by
sector or to a potential target. Cabinet Secretaries and other members
of the Homeland Security Council will be consulted as appropriate. A variety
of factors may be used to assess the threat. Among these:
Unified system for public announcements. Public announcements
of threat advisories and alerts help deter terrorist activity, notify
law enforcement and State and local government officials of threats, inform
the public about government preparations, and provide them with the information
necessary to respond to the threat. State and local officials will be
informed in advance of national threat advisories when possible. The Attorney
General will develop a system for conveying relevant information to Federal,
State, and local officials, and the private sector expeditiously. Heightened
Threat Conditions can be declared for the entire nation, or for a specific
geographic area, functional or industrial sector. Changes in assigned
Threat Conditions will be made when necessary.
A tool to combat terrorism. Threat Conditions characterize
the risk of terrorist attack. Protective Measures are the steps that will
be taken by government and the private sector to reduce vulnerabilities.
The HSAS establishes five Threat Conditions with associated suggested
Protective Measures:
Green Low risk of terrorist attacks. The following Protective Measures may be applied:
Blue General risk of terrorist attack. In addition to the previously outlined Protective Measures, the following may be applied:
Yellow Significant risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the previously outlined Protective Measures, the following may be applied:
Orange High risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the previously outlined Protective Measures, the following may be applied:
Red Severe risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the previously outlined Protective Measures, the following may be applied:
Written comments may be sent to: Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Advisory System, Room 7222, 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20535. Comments may also be submitted electronically to: HSAScomments@fbi.gov |
As part of a series of initiatives to improve coordination and
communication among all levels of government and the American
public in the fight against terrorism, President Bush signed Homeland
Security Presidential Directive 3, creating the Homeland Security
Advisory System (HSAS). The advisory system will be the foundation
for building a comprehensive and effective communications structure
for the dissemination of information regarding the risk of terrorist
attacks to all levels of government and the American people.