France sets up new terror alert system based on color codes

AP/Yahoo via Drudge ^ | March 27, 2003 | AP

[lainie]

PARIS - France introduced a new terrorism alert system on Thursday, with four color-coded levels from yellow to scarlet to make the national warning plan more flexible and understandable.

Until now, France had only two grades of alert for its terror warning system, called Vigipirate: "simple" and "reinforced."

Vigipirate has been on "reinforced" alert since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and French authorities have been even more watchful since war broke out in Iraq.

France qualified the terror risk on Thursday as orange — the second-lowest of four levels. The government said an attack was "plausible," there was no imminent or specific risk. The level of threat was the same as in previous days.

The orange alert grade calls for reinforced patrols in train stations and subways, a ban on flights over sensitive sites including nuclear plants, and increased surveillance of water distribution systems.

The lowest level of alert is yellow, which calls for measures including more train station patrols.

Red, the second-highest, calls for vast stretches of France's airspace to be closed and the setting aside of drinking water supplies, among other precautions.

In a scarlet alert, the civil aviation system is shut down, faucet water distribution is limited or stopped and all passengers are searched as they board trains.

[lainie]

I do not know the difference between red and scarlet, or how any French people will be able to tell. Somehow that will end up being Bush's fault, too.

[mhking]

Of course, they start at yellow, proceed to a darker shade of yellow, and continue right on through yellow...

[bedolido]

I'm sure their "Red" code is Yellow.

[grobdriver]

They established Scarlet for "I surrender!"

[grb]

The color determines what size white flag to wave

[lainie]

yeah, my first thought was, umm, okay, yellow to start, green when they're getting envious, white when it's time to surrender.

[Jaxter]

[Bobby777]

Yellow- surrender after breakfast

Orange - surrender after brunch

Red - surrender after lunch

Scarlet - surrender after dinner

[kellynla]

The only two colors the French know these days is white & yellow.

[Maceman]

Four levels of French Alert (lowest to highest):

1) Read Camus
2) Curse Americans
3) Hide behind a Jew
4) Put on women's clothing and try to sneak out of town.

[vollmond]

Can someone please post the Sesame Street Alert jpg? I've been looking for it, and can't find it anymore. It's the one with (I think) Ernie, Oscar, Elmo and a couple of other characters on the color they represent.

[lainie]

UN baby blue does not seem to be one of the colors.

[Naspino]

Yellow = Standard fair -- ignore reality.

Orange = Threat is plausible. Stock up on white cloth .

Red = Threat is elevated. Locate a "pole" in addition to white cloth.

Scarlet = Threat is immediate. Raise white flags on poles so that the aggressor will not harm you.

[ctdonath2]

Recalls the SNL skit introducing the new color code featuring white, eggshell, cream, and ivory.

[sonofatpatcher2]

[Cable225]

In a scarlet alert, the civil aviation system is shut down, faucet water distribution is limited or stopped and all passengers are searched as they board trains.

This alert is triggered when the cheese tray and dessert tray are brought out at the same time.

[Lee Heggy]

I would think the French would be using soft shades and tints of delicate pastes in all of this years colors...Peuse, magenta and fuschia on to a somber ocher or that maybe they would use fabrics instead. We've just gone to light yellow organdy alert with leather trim.

[San Jacinto]

Recalls the SNL skit introducing the new color code featuring white, eggshell, cream, and ivory.

In France, it's just various shades of yellow.

[IowaHawk]

French Alert System

Yellow - surrender, screaming like a girl, crawling and begging for mercy

Orange - offer to plant attractive flowerbeds around the yards of the occupying army's officers - occupying army officers really like that kind of thoughtful gesture

Scarlet - Play "matchmaker" for bored occupation soldiers. Introduce them to your wife, your sister, your mom; anybody to help the occupation get over the homesickness