Say Goodbye to the Terror Warning Colors
WASHINGTON — By the end of April, terror threats to the U.S. will no longer be described in shades of green, blue, yellow, orange and red, the Associated Press has learned.
The nation’s color-coded terror warning system will be phased out beginning this week, according to government officials familiar with the plan. The officials requested anonymity to speak before an announcement by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano that is scheduled for today.
Government agencies have been reviewing the system’s usefulness for more than a year. One of the most notable changes: The public will no longer hear automated recordings at U.S. airports stating that the threat level is orange.
The Obama administration will take the next three months to roll out a replacement warning system that will be called the National Terrorism Advisory System. The new plan calls for notifying specific audiences about specific threats. For example, an advisory might be sent to law enforcement, one of the officials said.
When officials think there is a threat the public should know about, they will issue an announcement and rely on news organizations and social media outlets to get the word out.
The Bush administration created the five-tiered, color-coded system after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Green represents the lowest danger of attack, with the levels rising through blue, yellow and orange to red– a severe threat. The nation has never been below yellow.
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