# We are now at Terrorist Alert Level Orange. What would have to happen to go Red? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 7, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-now-at-terrorist-alert-level-orange-what-would-have-to-happen-to-go-red/153584 "2003-02-07T22:07:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jonpluc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jonpluc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonpluc)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-now-at-terrorist-alert-level-orange-what-would-have-to-happen-to-go-red/153584/1 "2003-02-07T22:07:08Z")
I understand the basic alert levels and what they mean technically. However if we got a specific threat to a certian part of the country at a certain time \ Would the entire nation really be put on red alert? It seems to me more likely that they would keep it underhat or at the most give the secret specific information to the officials in that area alone and not alert the public and/or bad guys to what we know. Am i missing something here? ---
**Author:** ![jonpluc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jonpluc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonpluc)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-now-at-terrorist-alert-level-orange-what-would-have-to-happen-to-go-red/153584/2 "2003-02-07T22:12:00Z")
When im talking about a specific area i mean a particular building/area of town/city not the “East Coast”. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-now-at-terrorist-alert-level-orange-what-would-have-to-happen-to-go-red/153584/3 "2003-02-07T22:12:14Z")
via [google search](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020312-5.html) > [@](#): > > 1. Severe Condition (Red). A Severe Condition reflects a severe risk of terrorist attacks. Under most circumstances, the Protective Measures for a Severe Condition are not intended to be sustained for substantial periods of time. In addition to the Protective Measures in the previous Threat Conditions, Federal departments and agencies also should consider the following general measures in addition to the agency-specific Protective Measures that they will develop and implement: > 1. Increasing or redirecting personnel to address critical emergency needs; > 2. Assigning emergency response personnel and pre-positioning and mobilizing specially trained teams or resources; > 3. Monitoring, redirecting, or constraining transportation systems; and > 4. Closing public and government facilities. ---
**Author:** ![jonpluc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jonpluc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonpluc)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-now-at-terrorist-alert-level-orange-what-would-have-to-happen-to-go-red/153584/4 "2003-02-07T22:16:36Z")
Yes but what does severe threat mean? It was my understanding however wrong that may be that severe threat was a high likelyhood of a specific time and/or place. If that is not the case what qualifies as a “severe” threat? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-now-at-terrorist-alert-level-orange-what-would-have-to-happen-to-go-red/153584/5 "2003-02-07T23:44:13Z")
You can learn quite a bit by visiting the [Department of Homeland Security](http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/index.jsp) web site and reading up on threat levels. ---
**Author:** ![Alien2022](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19adc/32.png) [@Alien2022](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alien2022)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-now-at-terrorist-alert-level-orange-what-would-have-to-happen-to-go-red/153584/6 "2003-02-07T23:48:02Z")
Red threat level probably indicates that something has already happened, and they are waiting for more… ---
**Author:** ![jonpluc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jonpluc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonpluc)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-now-at-terrorist-alert-level-orange-what-would-have-to-happen-to-go-red/153584/7 "2003-02-08T00:40:58Z")
They talk about prepositioning of resources etc…so i dont think red is a post disaster kind of thing. But if they know enough to position resourses in a particular area then they ostensably know that something “may” happen there. My question is if they knew something would happen somewhere wouldnt they just have FBI converging on the scene and not just alert the would be terrorists with a “condition red”? Or is condition red a much lesser standard than know what time and place?? i read the Homeland security page and its really not very specific. Not that id expect it to be but still… ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-now-at-terrorist-alert-level-orange-what-would-have-to-happen-to-go-red/153584/8 "2003-02-08T00:44:52Z")
I think the red level can be experienced Tuesday nights on your local FOX channel at 9 pm, 8 pm Central. Presumably Bush won’t be arresting Condoleezza Rice for treason.