Ridge: Blackout Was 'Initial Test' for Homeland Security System

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

INDIANAPOLIS — Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Monday last week's blackout was an "initial test" of new systems and partnerships with states designed to enhance the nation's response to crises.

"The systems that were put in place, the means by which we communicate and share information that we have set up in our respective organizations to help one another if we need one another, were clearly tested that night," Ridge said during a meeting of the National Governors Association.

"Let's just call it an initial test of our relationship, and I think it worked pretty well."

Although state and local authorities shouldered most of the load in responding to the outage, Homeland Security teams stood ready to deploy.

One group was prepared to set up backup telecommunications networks so the federal government could manage police, fire and emergency services. But the primary networks did not break down.

"Clearly we still have additional work to do, but it demonstrated again the notion that the federal government has to partner with the states in order to maximize our ability to prevent a crisis or respond to a crisis," Ridge said.

During his public remarks, Ridge did not discuss heightened concerns that the nation's electricity grid and power plants might be vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson energy secretary during the Clinton administration, said Monday that Ridge should conduct an immediate assessment of security at plants and electricity grids, and develop a plan that includes "additional security assistance to the states."

Richardson stressed the need to improve security at nuclear plants.

Ridge said he was asking governors to identify five officials in their states through whom top-level security information could be shared over a secure Web site.



There... a Fox News story that made you feel a whole lot better!

Talk about the biggest bunch of bullsh!t that has come out of this administration yet. Playing with the countries on and off switch, huh? If this were true (and I highly doubt it is) this would be grounds for Mr. Ridge and all others above him who knew to be brought up on charges.

Is anyone sick and fvckin' tired of the huge, steaming pile of bullsh!t yet?...

Thorfinn

I see how you read it that way.

I think Ridge is saying

"This # happened.

We needed to check out how we would respond when that # happened.

We came through OK."

Except, the last part isn't true, and not all the information is out, and now you can be one of the 'chosen few' to share in the Homeland Security conspiracy if you are one of the 5 selected officials in each state.

I tend to be adverse to those that like to do what they wish with people. Did anyone die in the blackout? If so, murder charges should be brought up.

Next big thing, how about we spray radio-active dust on Chicago and see how well everyone takes it. Even if this administration decided to do such a thing, they would recieve no backlash. Impeach, arrest and exile is the answer to this problem.

If there is some goal to bring America to a police state, there was just a huge escalation in plans...

Ridge said he was asking governors to identify five officials in their states through whom top-level security information could be shared over a secure Web site.

Should this have occured in Sweden, where I live, the government would have had to pack their bags and go within the week. If this is indeed the true explanation, then I fear for the sanity of those in charge. If it is a cover-up, then I fear for the sanity of those in charge. But it's probably the truth, because I can't see anyone so stupid as to come up with a cover-story like this, as it probably will enrage a lot of people.

Kinda odd this story doesn't show up on any front pages or top stories...maybe I missed something...

I think it's exactly the kind of story that is meant to get vague and minor coverage in the mainstream press, to give it legitimacy.

It's all just 1984 stuff.

Before long, more bizarre things will happen, and be explained away as if they are to be expected, everything is under control. And more disbelief will be suspended, and the margin of acceptance for gross lies will become wider and wider.

And there will be tribal leaders posting here saying 'Don't worry, there are no liberties being stripped away, you can't think of any can you?'

And you will forget what your world was like just five years ago, and you will be part of the Bush/PNAC New World Odour, and not even know how you got there.

Congratulations America.

It should be taken as a test for the U.S. homeland security, not that it was done on purpose. Thats how I read it.

Like I said before in another post something ODD has been going on here in Niagara Falls. Its being sweepted under the rug, and we aren't being told the truth.

Get this... my hair actually stood straight up one day. Thats alot of electricity, somewhere.

With the Philidelphia experiment and Haarp, dead bodies that aren't being reported to the media, and the disappearing police and their cars. What is so bad that they can't tell us???

It should be taken as a test for the U.S. homeland security, not that it was done on purpose. Thats how I read it.

And the plot thickens. MA is right, wave bye-bye to your civil rights.

This power grid situation was a typical example of Problem-Reaction-Solution. Cause/Allow a problem ==> elicit the desired reaction ==> implement your planned solution.

We have always been at war with Eastasia....

I'm glad to see more people questioning this stuff, we are obviously being deceived.

The reason no official will be charged with murder is because they do NOT care about the common citizen.

This remionds me of other News stories that "disappear".

I have seen several news stories vanish from public memory and the media, like they never exsited. Remeber back in the late 80's, a cure for AIDS was found, it was on the news a few days. It was some sort of Chinese ginger root relative, but very dangerous, with the possibility of death and such. Still it had cured quite a few people of AIDS, even though the risks were high. Anyways, it disappeared from the news, never heard a peep from it after that. Nothing to cure, nothing done as far as research on how to make it safer, or extract the necessary chemicals. People look at me like Im crazy when I tell them this, but that proves my point. It disappeared, everyone forgot, cant find mention of it anywhere of it anywhere. But I do remeber specifically, I know Im not crazy, it was a major headline, and I was 13 or 14 at the time, and I do remeber vividly, because I was happy to hear about it.

Another disappearing story was the missing Mars rover they lost on Mars. It disappeared somehwerre on the red planet, then disappeared from the news, and no one seems able to recall it at all.

So, this story seems to make sense as well. More news that shall disappear into the media black hole, enevr to be spoken of again but through the lips of ranting "loonies"?

how bout the recent bin laden tape -- didn't even appear on msnbc. was on cnn.com briefly then wasn't mentioned. never saw it on tv. seems like that would be news to me.

If what you say is true....looks like the NWO isn't just slowly trying to ease us in...but ram it down our throats....

I don't buy it one bit. If this were true, they would have told us about a week ago. Now they know what happened, and they are covering their tracks. If it was the truth, they lied to us the whole time about it. What jerk offs.

I don't think this post has gotten the attention it deserves. I think this quote pretty much sums it up...

Ridge said he was asking governors to identify five officials in their states through whom top-level security information could be shared over a secure Web site.

MA, you got a link to that?????? I would like to email a link around and for the life of me can't find it. My guess is too many people saw it and they took it down.

Psycho

I doubt whether any ATS members will get to know the website URL addy, let alone make a concerted attempt to target the site.

Again, I take the whole story at face value. I don't think Homeland Security switched the power off. I think they used the situation including all the communications elements and 'troops on standby' as a test for not-too-distant future events.

Again, I take the whole story at face value. I don't think Homeland Security switched the power off. I think they used the situation including all the communications elements and 'troops on standby' as a test for not-too-distant future events.

Theres the problem.

Whats next from the beltway?

Russia also had a blackout the same day as the USA

Bush and another were at a nuclear facility the day it happened.

And why was everyone so calm?

There were a lot of chemtrails that day...Mind control anyone?

It was all a test to see how everyone would react. Very calm. imo