Terror Threat Colors

The Department of Homeland Security uses its Homeland Security Advisory System to apprise authorities and the public of potential terrorist activity. The HSAS uses color codes to indicate the threat level from a scale of "Low" to "Severe," recommending specific precautionary actions for citizens, sensitive facilities such as chemical and nuclear plants, and mass transit hubs according to the threat level. In January 2011, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the agency will replace the HSAS with a new alert system in April 2011.

Green - Low

• A green alert indicates minimal threat of terrorist activity. The DHS recommends government agencies review security procedures with personnel and assess current measures for protecting sensitive installations. The Federal Emergency Management Agency suggests families use these periods of reduced terror threat to devise plans for responding to an emergency if they don't already have one, while families who do should review their plans and practice their execution.

Blue - Guarded

• A blue alert indicates general risk of terror attacks, though intelligence doesn't point to an imminent threat. The DHS advises local law enforcement and government agencies to stay in touch with the department to stay current on unfolding developments, and FEMA advises Americans to be watchful for suspicious activity, particularly around public areas. The Red Cross recommends citizens be particularly watchful around schools, suggesting schools practice their emergency drills.

Yellow - Elevated

• The DHS raises the threat level to yellow when intelligence indicates a significant risk of a terrorist attack. DHS officials will apprise threatened locales and facilities of the threat so that administrators can increase security and surveillance measures. The Red Cross suggests individuals and families locate alternate routes among their homes and their schools and workplaces to give them options if a terror attack cuts off their primary routes.

Orange - High

• During an orange alert, the DHS actively coordinates security efforts with federal and local law enforcement in areas targeted by terror cells, and officials restrict access to military bases and sensitive installations to their essential personnel. FEMA recommends citizens monitor travel advisories during orange alerts to note regions and countries that have become particularly volatile, and the Transportation Safety Administration intensifies security measures at airports and harbors. The Red Cross advises schools to prepare to field questions from anxious parents and children, and to talk to students openly about their concerns.

Red - Severe

• A red alert indicates the imminent threat of a terrorist attack. The DHS assumes responsibility for coordinating law enforcement and emergency responders at threatened sites during the alert, and may close threatened facilities and government buildings. FEMA advises citizens to stay close to a television or radio to remain apprised of the situation and receive emergency instructions, and Americans at threatened locales should be prepared to respond to evacuation orders. The Red Cross urges people in threatened areas be ready to aid elderly or disabled neighbors who may have difficulty evacuating or taking shelter during an attack.

HSAS Criticisms and New System

• Critics found the HSAS warnings too vague to be useful, and Reuters reports that Rep. Bennie Thompson, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, concluded that the system made Americans anxious without helping them prepare for an actual attack. The DHS created the National Terrorism Advisory System in part to address these concerns, designing the NTAS to provide specific and detailed information to authorities and citizens in threatened locales. The DHS scheduled the NTAS to fully replace the HSAS in April 2011.