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Citizen Corps E-News
Update (February 7, 2003)

Homeland Security Threat Level Raised to Orange

THREAT LEVEL: ORANGE

Friday afternoon, President Bush raised the Homeland Security Advisory System threat level to Orange/High (meaning a High risk of terrorist attacks). The threat level change was announced by Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.

Are You Ready? A Guide For Citizen Preparedness

This guide offers specific protective measures that you can take for a "High Condition (Orange)" threat level. These include:

Develop a household disaster plan -- have a household meeting to discuss what members would do and how they would communicate in the event of an incident;
Assemble a disaster supply kit with food, water, and first aid supplies at home, at work, and for your car;
Be sure to have a battery operated radio and extra batteries to stay informed;
Have a list of emergency contact numbers, including fire, police, and hospitals, near the phone;
Review and practice evacuation plans;
Learn about community sheltering resources and how to "shelter in place;"
Check with school officials to determine their plans for emergency procedures;
Apartment residents should discuss emergency procedures with building managers;
Contact neighbors to discuss their plans and needs and how you can help each other;
If you have special needs, be sure to discuss your plans with family, friends, and your employers;
Be observant of any suspicious activity and report it to authorities;
Avoid high profile or symbolic locations;
Exercise caution when traveling; and
Schedule a course in first aid training and CPR and work with your local fire department, emergency managers, and law enforcement to help expand CERT training in your community.

IMPORTANT!! Be sure to listen to what LOCAL AUTHORITIES tell you about the situation in your area.

Please review the Are You Ready? chapters on General Preparedness, Emergency Planning and Disaster Supplies, Evacuation, and Shelter -- available online in .pdf and in Word format at: http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/. Remind others to learn how to be more prepared in their community and tell them to visit the Citizen Corps website!

Are You Ready? A Guide for Citizen Preparedness also has a separate chapter on National Security Emergencies, including terrorism, chemical and biological weapons, and nuclear and radiological attack.

These websites also provide relevant information:

FEMA for Kids Guide to National Security Emergencies
http://www.fema.gov/kids/nse/
Department of Homeland Security
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic
American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org
Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov

In these times of heightened alert, it is important for us all to take action to be better prepared and to reach out to our families, friends, and neighbors to ensure we are all ready for any emergency situation.

For Local Citizen Corps Councils

In your capacity as a leader in your local Citizen Corps Council, we urge you to help your community and your citizens to be better prepared:

Work with your local media to keep citizens informed of the steps they should take now to be better prepared. Maybe have a spot on the local news about putting together a disaster supply kit, using a sample kit, and the importance of having a family communications plan.
Work with your business community to use businesses as a means of communication to urge people to be better prepared at home, at work, and in the car - have a plan, have a kit.
Contact your school system representatives to ensure that children and parents are prepared for what to do if something happens while school is in session.
Focus on how you can start a Medical Reserve Corps unit using the Guide of Local Leaders and other materials available on www.medicalreservecorps.gov. If you have an existing Medical Reserve Corps unit, work with them to develop contingency plans for potential public health issues arising from a terrorist threat.
Work with you Neighborhood Watch groups to help organize neighborhood preparedness efforts.

You may also consider using volunteers active in your community to help those with special needs be prepared, such as helping to put together disaster supply kits for the elderly and low-income populations.

When directing people to Are You Ready? A Guide to Citizen Preparedness, please refer to the website www.fema.gov/areyouready. This is the faster and easiest way for people to access the valuable information contained in this publication.

Other recommended protective measures for your community include:

being prepared to coordinate necessary security efforts with federal, state, nearby local law enforcement agencies, and the National Guard;
checking communications with designated emergency response or command locations;
heightened security for visitors to high profile office buildings;
taking additional precautions for public events, to include considering alternative venues;
preparing to execute contingency procedures for your workforce;
restricting access to high-risk areas to essential personnel.