![]() ![]() The threat index goes from yellow to orange and back again, although no one is entirely sure what either level means. The DHS’s threat warnings have been vague, indeterminate, and unspecific. And we now know that their primary use was political. There were never any actions associated with them. Of course, the codes never became useful. And the threat levels are publicly known, so any terrorist with a lick of sense will simply wait until the threat level goes down. Terrorist attacks are rare, and if the color-threat level changes willy-nilly with no obvious cause or effect, then people will simply stop paying attention. But even then, the real measure of effectiveness is in the implementation. If the color-alert system became something better defined, so that people know exactly what caused the levels to change, what the change means, and what actions they need to take in the event of a change, then it could be useful. The threat levels actually do more harm than good, by needlessly creating fear and confusion (which is an objective of terrorists) and anesthetizing people to future alerts and warnings. ![]() Even local police departments and government organizations largely have no idea what to do when the threat level changes. People are left to worry, or are given nonsensical instructions to buy plastic sheeting and duct tape. The color-alert system, on the other hand, is not tied to any specific actions. The difference is that the DEFCON system is tied to particular procedures military units have specific actions they need to perform every time the DEFCON level goes up or down. military has a similar system DEFCON 1-5 corresponds to the five threat alerts levels: Green, Blue, Yellow, Orange, and Red. The color-coded threat alerts issued by the Department of Homeland Security are useless today, but may become useful in the future. I wrote about the DHS’s color-coded threat alert system in 2003, in Beyond Fear: All changes, including the announcement that cancels an NTAS Alert, will be distributed the same way as the original alert.Modifying the Color-Coded Threat Alert System If threat information changes for an alert, the Secretary of Homeland Security may announce an updated NTAS Alert. The Alerts do not contain constant or wide-ranging warnings regarding overarching threats. NTAS Alerts contain a specific date for when the alert expires. An elevated threat warns of a verified terrorist threat against the United States. ![]() An imminent threat warns of a verified, specific, and impending terrorist threat against the United States.These alerts include a clear statement that there is an imminent and/or elevated threat to the public. In some cases, alerts are sent directly to law enforcement or affected areas of the private sector while in other cases, alerts are issued more widely to the American people through both official and media channels. The NTAS Alerts are based on the nature of the threat. ![]() After reviewing the available information, the Secretary of Homeland Security decides, in coordination with other Federal entities, whether an NTAS Alert should be issued. NTAS Alerts are only issued when verified information is available. The National Terrorism Advisory System, or NTAS, replaced the color-coded Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS). ![]()
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