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CNN Live At Daybreak
Homeland Security, Staying Safe
Aired February 11, 2003 - 06:35 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 COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: As troop deployment intensifies, more and more people in the United States are focusing on homeland security. The government has raised the threat level, as you know. For the first time ever, it's telling people how they can best protect themselves. We're at the level of orange now.
For more, we're joined now on the phone by CNN's Jeanne Meserve in Washington.
Good morning -- Jeanne.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
The Department of Homeland Security is shifting its attention to the American public. It's advising citizens that they have a responsibility to take care of themselves and their families, and they ought to prepare for possible chemical or biological or radiological attacks. Now, officials say this approach is being taken because of growing concern about al Qaeda's ability to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction.
The department outlined a series of steps federal, state and local governments are taking in response to threat level orange, and said the private sector is doing its part, too. Examples: Some hotels are checking cars before allowing them to park underground, some office buildings are no longer allowing walk-in visitors and are restricting access to their ventilation, electrical and structural systems, and shopping malls are towing vehicles parked near buildings and making sure all deliveries are scheduled and pre-approved.
All told, the department says it is very pleased with the response to the new threat level -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And we think it's very scary tips, Jeanne. The government is still asking people to go on with their lives as normal.
MESERVE: They are. And they say they are not intending to frighten people. This isn't supposed to be a dire warning. They're not urging people to run out today to the hardware store and buy the things they're recommending. But they point out some hard, cold facts, which are that there's only 1 firefighter for every 280 people, only 1 EMT or paramedic for every 325, only 1 police officer for every 385 Americans.
And they say if there were to be an attack and it were to follow along the lines of other emergencies this country has seen, most Americans could expect to take care of themselves for 48 to 72 hours after an incident took place. So, they said better to be cautious, better to be ready, better to know what might be coming and what you might be able to do for yourself.
COSTELLO: Understand. Jeanne Meserve waking up early with DAYBREAK.
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 11, 2003 - 06:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: As troop deployment intensifies, more and more people in the United States are focusing on homeland security. The government has raised the threat level, as you know. For the first time ever, it's telling people how they can best protect themselves. We're at the level of orange now.
For more, we're joined now on the phone by CNN's Jeanne Meserve in Washington.
Good morning -- Jeanne.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
The Department of Homeland Security is shifting its attention to the American public. It's advising citizens that they have a responsibility to take care of themselves and their families, and they ought to prepare for possible chemical or biological or radiological attacks. Now, officials say this approach is being taken because of growing concern about al Qaeda's ability to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction.
The department outlined a series of steps federal, state and local governments are taking in response to threat level orange, and said the private sector is doing its part, too. Examples: Some hotels are checking cars before allowing them to park underground, some office buildings are no longer allowing walk-in visitors and are restricting access to their ventilation, electrical and structural systems, and shopping malls are towing vehicles parked near buildings and making sure all deliveries are scheduled and pre-approved.
All told, the department says it is very pleased with the response to the new threat level -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And we think it's very scary tips, Jeanne. The government is still asking people to go on with their lives as normal.
MESERVE: They are. And they say they are not intending to frighten people. This isn't supposed to be a dire warning. They're not urging people to run out today to the hardware store and buy the things they're recommending. But they point out some hard, cold facts, which are that there's only 1 firefighter for every 280 people, only 1 EMT or paramedic for every 325, only 1 police officer for every 385 Americans.
And they say if there were to be an attack and it were to follow along the lines of other emergencies this country has seen, most Americans could expect to take care of themselves for 48 to 72 hours after an incident took place. So, they said better to be cautious, better to be ready, better to know what might be coming and what you might be able to do for yourself.
COSTELLO: Understand. Jeanne Meserve waking up early with DAYBREAK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
