From inception to August 2004, the HSAS has been raised from "elevated" to "high" seven times, and raised to severe once. Threat Conditions

The advisory system is based on five threat levels: low, guarded, elevated, high, and severe. Each level, with its corresponding identification color, indicates protective measures mandatory for federal departments and agencies. The DHS Secretary decides to raise or lower the threat level in consultation with the Homeland Security Council. Issues

Since the creation of the HSAS, a number of issues have arisen, among which are: the vagueness of warnings disseminated by the system; the system's lack of protective measures recommended for state and local governments, and the public; the perceived inadequacy of disseminating threats to state and local governments, the public, and the private sector; and how best to coordinate HSAS with other existing warning systems. In the 109 th Congress, the House of Representative's Committee on Government Reform's Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations held a hearing on the HSAS, its threat codes, and public response to it. This hearing focused on the information DHS issued the public the seven times the HSAS threat level was raised from "yellow" to "orange." Vagueness of Warnings

The HSAS threat level has been raised seven times from "yellow" to "orange" since its activation on March 12, 2002, and once to "red" on August 10, 2006. Due to the reported misunderstanding of HSAS threat levels, and the system's lack of recommended protective measures for state and local agencies, the public, and private-sector entities, Congress could consider directing DHS to issue general warnings concerning the threat of terrorist attacks without using the HSAS to notify state and local governments, the public, and the private sector. First responders are placed on alert. This approach could provide federal government guidance on how to be prepared for and mitigate against a terrorist attack. Communication of Terrorist Threats to State and Local Governments, the Public, and the Private Sector

DHS uses a variety of communications systems to provide terrorist threat warnings to states, localities, the public, and the private sector. Since the HSAS is designed for federal government use, there may be no need for DHS to establish any other communication systems that disseminate changes in the HSAS terrorist threat levels.
The Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS), established on March 12, 2002, is a color-coded terrorist threat warning system administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The system, which federal departments and agencies are required to implement and use, provides recommended protective measures for federal departments and agencies to prevent, prepare for, mitigate against, and respond to terrorist attacks.
DHS disseminates HSAS terrorist threat warnings to federal departments, state and local agencies, the public, and private-sector entities. DHS, however, only provides protective measures for federal departments. This dissemination of warnings is conducted through multiple communication systems and public announcements.
HSAS has five threat levels: low, guarded, elevated, high, and severe. From March 2002 to the present, the HSAS threat level has been no lower than elevated, raised to high seven times, and raised to severe once. The first time it was raised to high was on September 10, 2002, due to the fear of terrorist attacks on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The most recent time it was raised to high was on July 7, 2005, due to terrorist bombings of the London mass transit systems. DHS raised the threat level for mass transit systems only. The only time HSAS has been raised to severe (red) was on August 10, 2006, due to a terrorist plan to bomb flights originating in the United Kingdom. DHS raised the threat level for the aviation sector only.
In the 109th Congress, the House of Representative's Committee on Government Reform's Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations held a hearing on the HSAS, its threat codes, and public response to it. This hearing focused on the information DHS issued the public the seven times the HSAS threat level was raised from "yellow" to "orange."
While the need for terrorist threat warnings seems to be widely acknowledged, there are numerous issues associated with HSAS and its effects on states, localities, the public, and the private sector. These issues include the following:
vagueness of warnings; lack of specific protective measures for state and local governments, the public, and the private sector; dissemination of warnings to states, localities, the public, and the private sector; coordination of HSAS with other federal warning systems; and cost of threat level changes.
This report will be updated as congressional or executive actions warrant.