Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano yesterday announced the start of the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS), meant to be a simpler and more effective way to communicate terror alerts to the nation than the color-coded system it replaces.
“The National Terrorism Advisory System, which was developed in close collaboration with our federal, state, local, tribal and private sector partners, will provide the American public with information about credible threats so that they can better protect themselves, their families, and their communities,” Napolitano said in a statement.
Under NTAS, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in coordination with other federal agencies, will issue alerts that will be defined as either “Elevated Threat” or “Imminent Threat.” An Elevated Threat “warns of a credible terrorist threat against the United States” and an Imminent Threat “warns of a credible, specific, and impending terrorist threat against the United States,” DHS said.
In January, DHS announced that it would drop the nine-year old color-coded terror advisory system in favor of the NTAS (Defense Daily, Jan. 28).
With NTAS, alerts will be made based on the nature of the threat with some going directly to law enforcement or certain parts of the private sector while others may be issued more broadly. The alerts will also have an end date although these can be extended.