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CNN Live Saturday

New Yorkers Take Orange Alert in Stride

Aired February 08, 2003 - 16:34   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: By now, you know Americans have been put on high alert for a terrorist attack, but what does that really mean? Especially for New Yorkers, who have been on a high alert since the September 11 attacks? CNN's Jamie Colby reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Americans on high alert are being told to live their lives in normal fashion.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK CITY: Leave the worrying to the professionals, and live your lives.

COLBY: So are they?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're on an orange alert, we have to be more aware and it says continue what you normally do, really.

COLBY: Keeping a New Yorker off the streets can be like trying to stop a train.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm worried about taking the train, but you just can't sit up in your house. You have got to get up and go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not really worried at all. We've been on a higher states before, and like last September, and haven't really seen any -- no one's really worried.

COLBY: Take Adam, he arrived in the city Thursday and isn't hesitating to ride the subway. Aria (ph) has her own way of dealing with it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't have a TV at home. So that keeps me kind of not scared. I don't watch the news.

COLBY: Since the alert, police are present, guns drawn, at the ready, at New York's bridges and tunnels. Federal emergency management offices now manned around the clock. Coast Guard air and boat patrols have increased, and area airports are operating at the highest level of security since 9/11.

BLOOMBERG: We'll pay special attention to places where lots of people gather, especially public places like lobbies of hotels, apartment buildings and our subway system.

COLBY: Americans are being told to be more prepared and more alert yet again. The Department of Homeland Security recommends you be aware of your surroundings. Learn where emergency exits are located in buildings you frequent. Prepare a disaster kit, and report any suspicious activity.

But out on the street, for New Yorkers, being prepared is just a part of life in the city.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLBY: And what should you have in your disaster kit? Well, it's always a good idea to have a battery operated radio with extra batteries. And now is a good time to refill prescriptions, make copies of important documents and keep cleaning supplies, like soap and bleach, on hand in case of a biological or chemical attack. Authorities are not saying how long we'll be on heightened alert, and are being very cautious not to say exactly what security measures are in place.

But one thing they are telling us, for all the security measures you see, there are a number of deployments we won't know about unless and until they're needed -- Carol.

LIN: That's what I was going to ask you, Jamie. How present is extra security on the streets of New York right now? What do you notice?

COLBY: Well, you notice that there are definitely extra patrols. There are a number of police cars roaming the streets. It's interesting that here in New York, the police who are normally undercover were asked to come in uniforms to give a sense of extra presence.

But at the same time, there are a number of undercover officers in the subways, on the streets, in hotel lobbies. They're out and about and they are very alert, as are New Yorkers. It's just people here take things in stride -- Carol.

LIN: You bet. You're a tough lot. Thanks so much, Jamie, Jamie Colby, live in New York.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 8, 2003 - 16:34   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: By now, you know Americans have been put on high alert for a terrorist attack, but what does that really mean? Especially for New Yorkers, who have been on a high alert since the September 11 attacks? CNN's Jamie Colby reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Americans on high alert are being told to live their lives in normal fashion.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK CITY: Leave the worrying to the professionals, and live your lives.

COLBY: So are they?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're on an orange alert, we have to be more aware and it says continue what you normally do, really.

COLBY: Keeping a New Yorker off the streets can be like trying to stop a train.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm worried about taking the train, but you just can't sit up in your house. You have got to get up and go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not really worried at all. We've been on a higher states before, and like last September, and haven't really seen any -- no one's really worried.

COLBY: Take Adam, he arrived in the city Thursday and isn't hesitating to ride the subway. Aria (ph) has her own way of dealing with it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't have a TV at home. So that keeps me kind of not scared. I don't watch the news.

COLBY: Since the alert, police are present, guns drawn, at the ready, at New York's bridges and tunnels. Federal emergency management offices now manned around the clock. Coast Guard air and boat patrols have increased, and area airports are operating at the highest level of security since 9/11.

BLOOMBERG: We'll pay special attention to places where lots of people gather, especially public places like lobbies of hotels, apartment buildings and our subway system.

COLBY: Americans are being told to be more prepared and more alert yet again. The Department of Homeland Security recommends you be aware of your surroundings. Learn where emergency exits are located in buildings you frequent. Prepare a disaster kit, and report any suspicious activity.

But out on the street, for New Yorkers, being prepared is just a part of life in the city.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLBY: And what should you have in your disaster kit? Well, it's always a good idea to have a battery operated radio with extra batteries. And now is a good time to refill prescriptions, make copies of important documents and keep cleaning supplies, like soap and bleach, on hand in case of a biological or chemical attack. Authorities are not saying how long we'll be on heightened alert, and are being very cautious not to say exactly what security measures are in place.

But one thing they are telling us, for all the security measures you see, there are a number of deployments we won't know about unless and until they're needed -- Carol.

LIN: That's what I was going to ask you, Jamie. How present is extra security on the streets of New York right now? What do you notice?

COLBY: Well, you notice that there are definitely extra patrols. There are a number of police cars roaming the streets. It's interesting that here in New York, the police who are normally undercover were asked to come in uniforms to give a sense of extra presence.

But at the same time, there are a number of undercover officers in the subways, on the streets, in hotel lobbies. They're out and about and they are very alert, as are New Yorkers. It's just people here take things in stride -- Carol.

LIN: You bet. You're a tough lot. Thanks so much, Jamie, Jamie Colby, live in New York.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com