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Homeland Security: Risk Communication Principles May Assist in Refinement of the Homeland Security Advisory System

GAO-04-538T Published: Mar 16, 2004. Publicly Released: Mar 16, 2004.
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Highlights

Established in March 2002, the Homeland Security Advisory System was designed to disseminate information regarding the risk of terrorist acts to federal, state, and local government agencies, private industry, and the public. However, this system generated questions among these entities regarding whether they were receiving the necessary information to respond appropriately to heightened alerts. GAO obtained information on how the Homeland Security Advisory System operates, including the process used to notify federal, state, and local government agencies, private industry, and the public of changes in the threat level. GAO also reviewed literature on risk communication to identify principles and factors to be considered when determining when, what, and how information should be disseminated about threat level changes. Additionally, GAO researched what type of information had been provided to federal, state, and local agencies, private industry, and the public regarding terrorist threats. GAO also identified protective measures that were suggested for these entities to implement during code-orange alerts. Last, GAO identified additional information requested by recipients of threat information.

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Topics

Combating terrorismAntiterrorismEmergency preparednessGovernment information disseminationHomeland securityIntergovernmental relationsStrategic planningTerrorismThreat levelWarning systemsPublic safety