What Does 'High Alert' Mean?

boblonsberry.com ^ | 2/10/03 | Bob Lonsberry

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Here’s what “high alert” means.

It means you hold your head up high and stick your chest out and keep your eyes open. You prepare what you can prepare and you’re standing ready to help where needed or to fight like hell.

That’s what “high alert” means.

And the people who laugh at it are fools. Just like the people who cower in fear. It’s nothing to dismiss and it’s nothing to become obsessed about.

But we are a nation of Minute Men, and we’ve been given the word. And if they try coming across our bridge they’re going to die where they stand.

That’s what the Osamas on the plane over Pennsylvania learned. And that’s what they’re all going to learn.

And that is the lesson of September 11. That is the lesson of the war on terror. If we have a warning, we can’t be beaten. When the passengers didn’t know what was going on, evil prevailed. When they did, it didn’t.

And we know what’s going on. We’ve been given the word.

They can laugh at Tom Ridge and whatever color we’re on now, but the simple fact is, we’ve been given the word. We have been warned, and forewarned is forearmed. And here’s what to do about it.

Make an emergency plan. Talk with your family and decide what you will do, how you will re-gather, in the event of an emergency. If in the middle of the day something huge and bad happened, with social disruption and disastrous impact, would your family know what to do, or where to meet.

Would your children know what to do if they couldn’t get home, or if there was no home to get to?

Those are the things to discuss.

You should also be prepared to stay in your home if you have to.

If there were a biological, chemical or even nuclear attack, it might afterwards be dangerous to circulate in areas where people congregate. It might take time for contagion to pass, or for chemicals or fallout to dissipate. You might have to stay inside.

Which means you should be prepared to stay inside.

That means food and water, and maybe warmth.

If you had to stay in your home for two weeks, if you couldn’t leave, could you do it? Would you be prepared?

Would there be enough food? It doesn’t have to be elaborate, maybe just a big bag of rice, a few extra cases of canned goods, something to hold body and soul together.

What if the water system was disrupted. If nothing came out of the tap, what would you have? How much have you put away? How long could you exist?

And if the public utilities were lost, if the electricity, phone and natural gas were gone, would you know what to do, would you have the ability to get by?

Those are questions families must ask. And if the answers aren’t good then families must make the necessary changes and preparations. Families must prepare to meet their needs, and possibly to be of assistance to neighbors and relatives.

Not in the spirit of fear or panic, but of practicality. The American can-do spirit.

And Americans must be prepared to take the game on offense.

By keeping their eyes open.

There is nothing wrong with suspicion or curiosity. There is nothing wrong with bringing our suspicions or observations to the attention of the authorities. In fact, it is a duty. In our circles of familiarity and life we should be on guard to defend not only our families but our nation.

Americans must be prepared to take the game on offense. By fighting back if need be.

By realizing that most wars are fought by violence, and those who cannot return violence are slaughtered. Not that everyone needs to be a Rambo, but that if push comes to shove you don’t want to be holding a knife in the middle of a gunfight.

There’s more than one reason to own a baseball bat, and you don’t have to be a hunter to have a rifle or a shotgun in the closet.

Politicians and commentators have mocked the national alert system, putting their own interests above the interests of their homeland. Ignore them. And avoid extremes on either side.

Don’t blow this off, but don’t let it freak you out either. This isn’t anything we can’t handle.

But we’ve been put on “high alert,” and that means something. It means we have to step it up a bit.

It means we have to be Americans.

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There is nothing wrong with suspicion or curiosity. There is nothing wrong with bringing our suspicions or observations to the attention of the authorities. In fact, it is a duty. In our circles of familiarity and life we should be on guard to defend not only our families but our nation.

[2timothy3.16]

It means that where ever you go you go armed.

[stylin19a]

Being vigilant is one thing...but vigilant looking for what ?

The talk of terrorist attacks is always about infrastructure. Yet terrorist attacks specifically against the population are never mentioned.

All the more reason to have an armed population.

[mommadooo3]

But we are a nation of Minute Men, and we’ve been given the word. And if they try coming across our bridge they’re going to die where they stand.

[BenLurkin]

If only that were the law. Perhaps carrying illegally might be forgiven under teh circumstances?

[HitmanLV]

The administration has never articulated what the color coding means, and how we should alter our behavior, if at all, when terror alerts are upgraded.

I am not doing anything differently than I was doing last Thursday.

[1Old Pro]

It means, stay out of large cities unless you received plenty of vaccinations.

[blackdog]

An opponent studies your ways and tests them. The media reports outrage at arab discrimination, fingerprinting certain immigrants, and we all need to love each other. They report this despite how the public really feels. The large mistake our enemies will make is falling for the media crap.

There is no "legal authority" which can protect us the public. Even the DC shooters were caught by the public, despite chief Moose's disinformation campaign. Our system is designed to respond to crimes, emergencies, sabatoge, and disasters, not prevent them. Our constitution mandates that. The system is incapable of preventing crime or such ill-will on the part of foreign and domestic enemies. That is what an armed populace and brave public is for. If Americans get pushed to the point of responding, the LEO's will run and hide for cover from a well regulated populace with baseball bats, shotguns, and some courage.

Our crowds won't be showing up because they get paid $5.00 and a free meal after the camera's go away.

[Lion's Cub]

Good post.

I was planning to write something similar to send to some relatives who might not have heard the press conference where Ridge suggested we make these preparations. But this says it so much better than I could have, I think I'll just send this instead.

[Xenalyte]

What does High Alert mean?

Ask the Dell dude.

[blackdog]

You couldn't get me to visit a city of more than 20,000 people unless I was duct taped and drugged. And that was how I felt in the 90's.

Hillary's jaw movements lately tell me two things.....Something very awful is about to happen. The other thing is that she is thrilled over the opportunity it will present for her "leadership" qualities to blossom.

I would make a deal with Hillary if I were a New Yorker. I would guarantee her senate seat for life and pay her whatever she wants as long as she has her vocal cords surgically separated. She communicates quite effectively by rolling eyes, throwing things, hitting people with vehicles, foaming at the mouth, and dressing in pink or black.

[GreyWolf]

I am not doing anything differently than I was doing last Thursday.

Then you, my friend, may very well become a statistic along with your family. In this game, colors mean something very important and I think the author of this article is right on target. Prepare, prepare, prepare. I prepared for Y2K and a lot of people thought I was crazy but I prepared anyhow and after it was all over, I decided to stay prepared for whatever might happen. All Americans would be wise to take some level of action as stated above and if you live close to a high-risk target area, you should keep your gas tanks filled, food and water handy, a medications kit packed, etc. It's all common sense. Just do it.

[1Old Pro]

The anecdotal things I hear are that STATE emergency management agencies are nervous, hospitals are nervous.

Ask yourself, why do they want all the nations nurses vaccinated for small pox?

[Quilla]

I don't have a permit to carry a handgun; however, I'm a bird hunter and regularly have my shotgun with me in case I'm invited on a hunt. My husband reminded me to take it with me this morning because of the high alert status - I did.

[HitmanLV]

I am saying that the administration has failed to explain exactly how our behavior should be different as color codes change.

[blackdog]

I've carried my shotgun and rifle before also. I've noticed however two risks.....The first is that some cops will say "So?" when you inform them you have a weapon in the vehicle and some get wierd. The other problem is that vehicle and contents theft is very common.

There is a company that makes an aluminum tube that has a screw on end cap with a cobination lock built into the cap. I had one installed in my plane. The only problem is that the scope of a rifle has to be removed to fit in the tube. I would think that in your vehicle, LEO's would be more comfortable with the tube also.

[GreyWolf]

I am saying that the administration has failed to explain exactly how our behavior should be different as color codes change.

Granted, guidelines, as listed in this post, would be helpful but every American must take the initative to act in his/her own behalf in time of crisis. It is not the Government's responsibility to hand hold each and every one of us and give us detailed directions. They have put us on notice that a heightened level of urgency is in effect and it is our responsibility to provide our own individual plan of action. People who choose to do nothing different will be an added burden to those of us who prepare. Do you think FEMA will feed and shelter you when something major happens? They will be overwhelmed in minutes. Have you ever been in an area where a weather or other emergency has hit? How long did it take for the shelters to fill up and the supermarket shelves to empty. Do you remember when they tried to force evacuate for Hurricane Hugo? One massive traffic jam!

One thing I can say for sure. If the threat level goes up and the color changes, somebody high up knows something that you don't and they are trying to warn you. To ignore that warning is less than prudent.

[AdA$tra]

LEO's would be more comfortable with the tube also.

I don't know what that tube thingy is officer. Is was here when I bought the car.