I just came back from a trip the other day, and the airport PA system was of course informing us that the current threat advisory level, as determined by the department of homeland security, is orange. And of course, like all other travelers, I ignored this, because the scale is miscalibrated, and it’s always orange. But of course, being a Doper, I’m suspicious of “always”. And so I ask, since the introduction of the color codes, has the threat level ever been anything below orange? Other than in the immediate aftermath of 9-11, has it ever been red? And in the predecessor system to the color codes, what was the history? Was it usually at the equivalent of orange, or at something lower?
you need to understand that there is a “general” threat level and a special threat level just for airports/air travel. We are currently Yellow (and are mostly at yellow), but Air travel is Orange (but it’s not always stuck at orange).
I believe air travel has been to red a few times, usually right when terroristic stuff happens (like the shoe bombing and the nigerian scamm… hijackers) (EDIT: per wikipedia, it only got to red once, and only for flights between the UK and the US in summer 2006 when they had those blow-up-plane plots)
And it obviously has never gone to green or blue. And it obviously won’t ever.
The current threat level is yellow and has been for most of the system’s existence, but it’s permanently at orange at airports. Tom Ridge, the head of Homeland Security when the system was created, kind of admitted after he resigned, of course) that the system was bogus.
untrue. while it has been orange for a few years now, it’s not permanent and it hasn’t been at orange since the inception of the program.
Usually I see signs with removable panels for yellow, orange, red - but recently I went through an airport with permanent, fixed signs. Orange.
I guess it will just cost them more to change them.
Chronology of Changes to the Homeland Security Advisory System Through Aug 2006:
There may be more recent changes to the threat level but this Homeland security site doesn’t mention them.
The other question, of course, is what travelers are suposed to do with this information. I’m going to be flying tomorrow: if I hear this announcement, am I supposed to:
(1) panic mildly during my trip?
(2) scan my fellow passengers to see if any are carrying bombs?
(3) purchase some extra insurance for the benefit of my survivors?
Or is it all part of the theatre of the absurd put on display for our benefit by the Department of Homeland Security?
Unfortunately, yes. All they can do is create an illusion of safety and control. Sorry.
What we need is two heightened states of awareness in this country. Here is Mr. White to explain it. (NSFW due to some language at the end)
Or the illusion of danger and a common enemy. Take your pick.
Indeed. The fact that there’s an illusion of safety doesn’t mean that we’re not safe. You’ll be safer on that plane than practically anywhere else. But it’s not because some asshat says we’re on orange alert.
We’ve always been at war with Eastasia.
To be clear here, I’m talking specifically about the codes in airports. When was the last time anyone said anything about the current color code outside of airports, after all? And every time I’ve flown since the color system has been put into place, it’s been orange. Has the airport color ever been anything lower?
yes, it has been lower. no, you weren’t aware of it because they probably don’t notify you when it’s lower than that (probably because at that point it coincides with the general threat level, which is baseline, which they don’t need to mention continually, as it would probably negate the importance of the special announcement advertising the elevated orange level)… which leads into the answer to Giles’ question:
why they tell you this, and what you’re supposed to do with the information, is merely be prepared for longer delays at airport security as they ratchet up the “what stupid shit can we make you take off your body before going through the scanner that’s supposed to scan for the stuff” games.
it also freaks out soccer moms and flyover state rubes who fly in a jet ae-ro-plane once a decade, which tends to slow everything down for everyone else.
Fox News doesn’t give you the overall threat level on their ticker tape anymore? Pity.
Thank you Rick I was going to reference Mr. Whites “wisdom” myself.
That guy at OHare drones on about how the TSA has raised the security threat level to Orange about every 30 minutes. Same guy; same recording since August 13 2006, when all US airports were changed to Orange. It had been mostly Yellow prior to that, with some bouncing around back and forth from Orange. For a few days in August of 06, the threat level for UK flights was Red and all other flights and airports were raised from Yellow to Orange; then back down to Orange for UK flights also, on Aug 13. Green and blue have never been used, and never will be.
Apparently, around August 13, 2006, the recording broke and it’s been looping the same loopy guy with the same droning voice at OHare ever since. And since August 13, all US airports have remained at Orange, with the deciding committee unable to make a decision to change it, and in fact, unable to even agree if it should ever be changed. I believe, but am not sure, that general mass transit was lowered to Yellow in Aug '06, and has remained there. Airports: Orange since August 13, 2006.
Obviously no-one wants to be the bozo who lowers it back to Yellow right before the Big Attack. No-one wants to raise it to Red, and either tip off the terrorists that we are onto their next Big Attack, or make travelers nervous. And no one wants to say the system is a ridiculous piece of bureaucracy with absolutely no function whatsoever. I mean, what is any traveler going to do differently, ever?
I fly reasonably frequently (100 or so flights/year) and no one ever pays any attention. Most of our discussions are around the need to screen for terrorists and not weapons (but of course that would mean…gasp…actually profiling people), and the pitiful security around the least-paid and most vulnerable-to-recruit groups–the airport workers themselves. This last group walks through security with relative impunity, are underpaid service workers, and don’t have to get on the plane with any weapon they smuggle through. Nice.
It’s basically the consequence of a Dont Just Stand There: Do SOMETHING response. I don’t see it ever changing from Orange.
See here for the Department of Homeland’s 2009 study on the issue, and some detail about what was changed and when (starts on p 13).
I generally make sure that Fox News doesn’t give me anything.
I was so hoping that you linked to a different Mr. White clip that somehow escaped my attention…
My question is whether this “elevated threat level” has ever been correlated with an actual threat. In other words, have they ever jacked it up to red BEFORE an attack or attempted attack (shoe bomber. etc.) occurred? It seems like they always hike the level after an attack - but then there’s never another one which immediately follows the first. Has the threat level ever actually meant that there was an imminent threat?