March 18, 2003
Albany - The nation's heightened alert status has had little effect on day to day life here in Albany. Flights left the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport as normal Tuesday, the Marine Base continued its work, and law enforcement stood ready but not alarmed.
Travelers faced the same security measures as yesterday as they boarded their flight at Southwest Georgia Regional Airport. "Statistically, I'm still safer flying on a plane than I was coming from my mother's house in the car," said Bob Keele.
Keele is flying home to Memphis after visiting his mother in Moultrie. And though President Bush says his ultimatum to Saddam Hussein may lead to another terrorist attack, Keele says he feels safe flying. "In fact, I'm more nervous about the weather causing flight problems than terrorism."
Because of the impending military conflict, America's terror alert level is back up to Orange - the second highest level. A code orange means the country's at a high risk of terrorist attack.
Even though the nation's alert status was upgraded, the Marine Corps Logistics Base remains at Bravo. The base will only increase its alert status if ordered by the Headquarters Marine Corps and the Department of Defense. The Bravo status is the second of four on the Marine alert system. With each level comes more security safeguards.
Outside the gates of the base, Dougherty County Police also react to the code orange by increasing safety measures. But when it comes to keeping the public safe, both the military and law enforcement stay tight lipped about exactly what is done to protection our country from terrorism.
The number of terrorist attacks internationally increased by 22% during the Persian Gulf War.
Posted at 4:20PM by kathryn.murchison@walb.com
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