WASHINGTON, April 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. government is scrapping the color-coded terror alert system, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Wednesday in New York.
"I am here to announce a major change in the way we keep the public informed about potential terrorist threats. Beginning next week we will eliminate the old color-code system," Napolitano said from Grand Central Station, MSNBC reported.
The new National Terrorism Advisory System will issue alerts that include a clear statement of an "imminent threat" or "elevated threat" along with clear language about the threat; "imminent" would warn of a credible, specific and impending terrorist threat against the United States, while "elevated" would be a credible terrorist threat against the United States.
"The alerts will expire of their own in two weeks, unless the intelligence community recommends … and I agree that the alert needs to be continued," Napolitano said, thus avoiding the problem of "cascading alerts."
The new alerts will provide the public with summaries, unclassified details, and tips on staying prepared and how to help. The government will use both traditional and social media to communicate with the public, the secretary said.
Napolitano said a new Web page, dhs.gov/alert, will be continually updated with new information.
A guide book released Wednesday urged the public to become familiar with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's public awareness campaign "See Something-Say Something." The campaign urges the public to alert law enforcement and security to suspicious activity.
The color codes, initially set up in 2002, spanned the spectrum from green for "low" risk of terrorist attack to "red" for a severe rise. The code never fell below the yellow "elevated" risk level.
