United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2004-03-16 monographic deposited born digital 21 p. GA 1.13:GAO-04-538T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-538T P0b002ee18037285b f:d04538t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-538T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-538T GAO-04-538T Counterterrorism Emergency preparedness National preparedness Strategic planning Terrorism Warning systems Intergovernmental relations Government information dissemination Homeland security Risk assessment Public safety Homeland Security Advisory System Testimony A09502

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. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-538T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-538T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-538T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-538T.pdf GAO-04-538T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-538T Testimony GAO-04-538T; Homeland Security: Risk Communication Principles May Assist in Refinement of the Homeland Security Advisory System; Counterterrorism Emergency preparedness National preparedness Strategic planning Terrorism Warning systems Intergovernmental relations Government information dissemination Homeland security Risk assessment Public safety Homeland Security Advisory System Title 42 Section 300g-3(c)(2)(C) 42 U.S.C. 300g-3(c)(2)(C) Public Law 107-296