Feds Plan Color-Coded Terror Alerts

March 5 -- The Bush administration plans to launch to a new color-coded system for rating the seriousness of the terrorism alerts it passes on to law enforcement agencies and the American public, ABCNEWS has learned.

The idea is to better direct local law enforcement officials, who have to scramble every time federal authorities issue a general alert, sources said.

"It's very costly to local governments, both in tax dollars and emotions in your personnel," said Broward County, Fla., Sheriff Ken Jenne, whose department has spent $2 million since Sept. 11 to ratchet up protection and manpower every time an alert is issued.

The system, as it stands now, would use five colors to rate alerts from the lowest to highest levels:

Green — Normal. This will be the lowest level, and is a new category. The description was still being worked on.

White — Guarded. This will signify a continuing general threat of terrorist activity. [Editor's note: the color for this level was changed to blue in the final plan.]

Yellow — Serious. Yellow indicates an increased and predictable threat of terrorist activity.

Orange — Critical. This will warn that a terrorist threat may be likely.

Red — Severe. Terrorist activity on a specific target may be imminent under this warning.

The announcement is expected to be made by both Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge and Attorney General John Ashcroft, with participation from local law enforcement officials.

Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Timoney, who used a similar system to protect the Republican presidential convention in his city two years ago, said at least it helps narrow down the range of the threat for people who may have to respond.

"By giving different color codes, at least it gives them a certain stage on which to work and allocate and relocate resources and personnel," he said.

Officials said they were hoping to present the new system soon, but were still undecided on what level the nation would be rated at right now: orange for critical or yellow for serious.