Homeland Security Color Coded System and its Meaning 
Gov. Ridge Announces Homeland Security Advisory System 

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. 

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. 

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: 

Is the threat credible? 
Is the threat corroborated? 
Is the threat specific and/or imminent? 
How grave is the threat? 
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: 


Low Condition
Green
Low risk of terrorist attacks. The following Protective Measures may be applied: 

Refining and exercising preplanned Protective Measures 
Ensuring personnel receive training on HSAS, departmental, or agency-specific 
Protective Measures; and 
Regularly assessing facilities for vulnerabilities and taking measures to reduce 
them. 

Guarded Condition 
Blue
General risk of terrorist attack. In addition to the previously outlined 
Protective Measures, the following may be applied: 

Checking communications with designated emergency response or command locations; 
Reviewing and updating emergency response procedures; and 
Providing the public with necessary information. 

Elevated Condition
Yellow
Significant risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the previously outlined 
Protective Measures, the following may be applied: 

Increasing surveillance of critical locations; 
Coordinating emergency plans with nearby jurisdictions; 
Assessing further refinement of Protective Measures within the context of the 
current threat information; and 
Implementing, as appropriate, contingency and emergency response plans. 

High Condition
Orange 
High risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the previously outlined 
Protective Measures, the following may be applied: 

Coordinating necessary security efforts with armed forces or law enforcement 
agencies; 
Taking additional precaution at public events; 
Preparing to work at an alternate site or with a dispersed workforce; and 
Restricting access to essential personnel only. 

Severe Condition
Red
Severe risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the previously outlined 
Protective Measures, the following may be applied: 

Assigning emergency response personnel and pre-positioning specially trained 
teams; Monitoring, redirecting or constraining transportation systems; 
Closing public and government facilities; and 
Increasing or redirecting personnel to address critical emergency needs. 

 
 
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