The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reportedly planning to replace the current five color-coded terror alerts with only two warnings: elevated and imminent.
According to a draft security plan obtained by the Associated Press, the DHS will also opt to disseminate the alerts using both Twitter and Facebook, in addition to other, more traditional mediums.
So, how does the new system work?
Well, before an official alert is issued the DHS will follow a “multi-step” process – beginning with intelligence sharing among multiple federal, state and local agencies.
If the threat is deemed serious enough, Homeland Security will call an immediate meeting of a special counterterrorism advisory board.
If an alert is indeed agreed upon, it will be issued within two hours of its approval.
However, DHS spokeswoman Amy Kudwa cautioned that the above-mentioned draft plan was not yet “finalized,” and emphasized the department would “continue to meet and exercise with [its] partners to [formulate] a plan that meets everyone’s needs.”
