BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean

Subject: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Alice
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 09:53 AM

As everyone is discussing the danger levels of color code alerts and preparedness, I wondered what exactly each color code means and what activities would be triggered. There doesn't seem to be a list of what civilians should be doing in response to a code alert, but I did find this information from an email from the Emergency Email Network.
The entire message is at this link Click here, but in part it says:

                                                                   Low Condition
                                           Green

Low risk of terrorist attacks. The following Protective Measures may be applied:

       Refining and exercising preplanned Protective Measures
       Ensuring personnel receive training on HSAS, departmental, or agency-specific Protective Measures; and
       Regularly assessing facilities for vulnerabilities and taking measures to reduce them.

                                       Guarded Condition
                                             Blue

General risk of terrorist attack. In addition to the previously outlined Protective Measures, the following may be
applied:

       Checking communications with designated emergency response or command locations;
       Reviewing and updating emergency response procedures; and
       Providing the public with necessary information.

                                       Elevated Condition
                                           Yellow

Significant risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the previously outlined Protective Measures, the following may
be applied:

       Increasing surveillance of critical locations;
       Coordinating emergency plans with nearby jurisdictions;
       Assessing further refinement of Protective Measures within the context of the current threat information;
       and
       Implementing, as appropriate, contingency and emergency response plans.

                                        High Condition
                                           Orange

High risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the previously outlined Protective Measures, the following may be
applied:

       Coordinating necessary security efforts with armed forces or law enforcement agencies;
       Taking additional precaution at public events;
       Preparing to work at an alternate site or with a dispersed workforce; and Restricting access to essential
       personnel only.

                                        Severe Condition
                                             Red

Severe risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the previously outlined Protective Measures, the following may be
applied:

       Assigning emergency response personnel and pre-positioning specially trained teams; Monitoring,
       redirecting or constraining transportation systems;
       Closing public and government facilities; and
       Increasing or redirecting personnel to address critical emergency needs.

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: GUEST,Hagbardr
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 10:07 AM

Code Plaid:
Run around screaming like a ninny.
Swap pants with the person next to you.

Code Paisley:
Play "Barret's Privateers" on the kazoo.
Cover your head with duct tape.

Code Metallic Light Green with Simulated Wood
Shag your significant other in the back of a 1981 Plymouth Reliant station wagon.
Drink a slurpee.

--Hagbardr

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Alice
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 10:13 AM

LOL Hagbardr.

Don't you know Code Grey is the duct tape code?

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 11:11 AM

My personal Alert Code Color is, currently, somewhere between puce and beige.

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 11:12 AM

Oh, yeah. That means "I have no idea what this means, but it must mean something."

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: TIA
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 12:20 PM

Granny Snitch - lifelong fan of sweets - says Code Orange means you should definitely eat dessert first.

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: nutty
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 01:00 PM

Apparently the government, (UK) have produced so much spin and been found out in so many lies while in power, that 75% of the population are refusing to believe that the threat of war is real.

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: HuwG
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 01:03 PM

Quoted in the BBC Series, "Red Dwarf" :

Arnold Rimmer : Threat identified. Go from Yellow alert to Red alert status !
Kryten : Are you sure, sir ? That would necessitate changing the bulb.

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Greg F.
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 01:06 PM

What do they mean? Not a bloody thing. Just more garbage to keep the populace off-balance and fearful.

Queen of fools, turn around,
life will be your folly
Wave your wand at those who will
waste away and worry
Play them for the fools they are
and make their steps up for them
A clock that's ahaken hard enough
it cannot stay in rhythm.

Patrick Sky, The Dance of Death

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: HuwG
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 01:32 PM

And a few more quotes from "Red Dwarf", on the subject of emergencies and their classification:

Kryten : I suggest switching from blue alert to red alert.
Cat : Forget red alert, let go up all the way to brown alert!
Kryten : There's no such thing as brown alert.
Cat : You won't be saying that in a minute. Just don't say I didn't alert you!

----

Holly [The ship's computer] : Rude alert! Rude alert! An electrical fire has knocked out my voice recognition unicycle! Many Wurlitzers are missing from my database! Abandon shop! This is not a daffodil. Repeat: This is not a daffodil!
Rimmer : Well, thankfully Holly's unaffected.

----

Rimmer : We, um, should be making tracks.
Cassandra [A very annoying alien ship's computer] : I'm afraid that's not going to happen. The bulkhead's just given way and we're shipping water at a thousand gallons a second. All of the Canaries [Roughly equivalent to "Away Team"] will be dead within one hour except for Rimmer...
Rimmer : YES !
Cassandra : ...who will be dead in twenty minutes.

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Alice
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 02:04 PM

To me, the code descriptions I found mean:
Green - think about scrambling
Blue - communicate about scrambling
Yellow - watch the areas we might have to scramble
Orange - tighten security before scrambling
Red - scramble!

Now, being a painter, I see the color code levels a little differently than they were assigned. If I had not read their list, I would have guessed that blue was the lowest level of alert. Blue (1)... mix a little yellow and you get Green (2).., take out all the blue and you get Yellow (3)... add some red and you get Orange (4).... take away yellow and you get Red (5).

Notice there is nothing really practical told to civilian citizens about how to respond to these alerts.

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 04:26 PM

Captain Picard in Star Trek only seems to have Yellow and Red when things get hairy. Oh yes, and there's the Emergency Autodestruct Sequence - but when they wound up the Cold War that one was supposed to be pensioned off on Earth.

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Bill D
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 04:52 PM

I sit here, 17 miles from the White House, as the crow flies, and I pay 'almost' no attention to the warnings...I have duct tape, because I ALWAYS have duct tape...but I am not gonna waste good duct tape on vague, ambiguous warnings, even if they are sky-blue pink!(my mother's favorite color, she said)

Something could happen...but I doubt Wheaton is gonna be a target...

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 06:14 PM

I appreciate the first post, I really do. But you must admit, we have to joke around as all of these alerts have been 'non-specific.' Hey, I thought Code Plaid was grab your golf clubs and get in a quick round, then just stay at the 19th hole.

Code Tan - - We're in it. Code Brown - - We're really in it. Code Dark Brown - - We're really, really in it and it seems to be all over me!

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Bill D
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 06:20 PM

a very short version of a wonderful joke: (I have heard it milked for 5 minutes)

Admiral Nelson's Red Coat

Nelson and Hardy were on the bridge of HMS victory the morning before engaging the French flotilla.

"Admiral Nelson sir" said Hardy, "Why do you wear a red tunic?"

"Well Hardy, it is because if I were to be wounded, the blood would
not show and the crew would think I were still with them."

Good idea sir, I shall wear my brown trousers."

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Alice
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 06:59 PM

Are these the code alerts for sessions?
White - someone has entered with shaky eggs
Brass - a trumpet or trombone case has arrived
Tartan - highland pipes
Silver - washboard

(no offense, just kidding)

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 07:02 PM

They mean very little. It's really a case to convince the public:

a) That the government knows what they are doing. They do this in the full knowldge that terms like "Code Red" will impress the majority of people - It doesn't really tell them anything but it sure as hell sounds good!

b) That the government will be justified in reducing civil liberties such as freedom to protest against war as there is a "Code Red" or whatever situation.

Jon (a UK citizen)

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 07:04 PM

WHITE HOUSE RAISES BUSH ALERT LEVEL TO ORANGE

Green - low risk of starting WWIII
Blue - guarded risk they'll find Yale grades
Yellow - elevated risk of choking on pretzel
Orange - high risk of being called an international bully
Red - severe risk of losing next election

(compliments of The Ironic Times)

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Gareth
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 07:06 PM

Err ! I'am Colour blind - Heeeeeeeelp !

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 08:06 PM

Don't make no 'never mind' Gareth! I got no hips to run fast enuff with!

Hee Hee! I answered two threads! make no 'never mind' means it doesn't make any difference in the Mountain William langauge!

That's a good 'un Guest-Ironic Times. You too Alice. Glad you have a good sense of humor, your first post was ripe for setting you up for a major flame attack.

W.E.

Subject: RE: BS: Color Code Alerts, what they mean
From: Gorgeous Gary
Date: 13 Feb 03 - 08:40 PM

And for the tech-minded out there, here's User Friendly's interpretation of the color codes...

http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20030209&mode=classic

-- Gary