State increases security following terrorist alert
Advertiser Staff
Security around Hawai'i airports and harbors was ratcheted up yesterday, a move that followed the federal government's warning that there is a "high" risk of a terrorist attack for the nation.
"I can't get specific, but I can tell you we've increased our lookout, increased our patrols for ships and aircraft," said Rear Adm. Ralph Utley, commander of the Coast Guard's 14th District in Honolulu.
But state officials said that discussions with Civil Defense, emergency "first-responder" teams and law enforcement and security agencies have indicated no reason to change Hawai'i's own alert status, which remains at the "blue guarded plus" level.
"We have a top Civil Defense team, and we're following the national situation very closely," Gov. Linda Lingle said. "We have determined, with our partners and all the first-responders, that there's no reason to go to the higher level."
The difference in approaches reflects the ability by state offices to tailor responses to threat conditions at a local level.
"We take a good look at what the threat indications are (locally), but we have to follow the national system," said the Coast Guard's Utley.
Officials yesterday said the public can expect to see increased security not only at state airports and harbors, but also at federal buildings, because of the homeland security secretary's decision.
"Because the level was increased nationally from yellow to orange, there will be increased patrols" at these points, said Rod Haraga, director of the state Department of Transportation.
Haraga said the state wants to avoid making an unwarranted security change because the added duties would impede daily routines unnecessarily.
"A down side to raising the level unnecessarily is to get people fearful unnecessarily," Lingle added.
Maj. Guillermo Canedo, a spokesman for U.S. Pacific Command, said the Department of Defense sets its own "force protection conditions" separate from the homeland security system.
Although the military does not discuss its security posture, Schofield Barracks yesterday remained at condition "alpha," representing a general or possible threat to personnel or installations. Alpha is one step above "normal" conditions.
In announcing the heightened national alert, Attorney General John Ashcroft's mention of hotels or other "lightly secured targets" caused some concern in Hawai'i's visitor industry.
David Carey, chief executive of Outrigger Enterprises Inc., said it ?s too early to tell whether the heightened federal alert will have any impact on bookings, but compounded by recent events it will likely hurt business.
"When you get Colin Powell going on TV and going through this rather chilling rendition ... and then you go to the next (alert) level up, and George W. looks pretty focused on what he wants to do, of course it ?s going to have an impact," Carey said. "The problem for us is we don't know how much."
Kelvin Bloom, president of Aston Hotels & Resorts, said he hoped the impact to tourism would be minimal.
Hilton spokesman George Hayward said Hilton Hawaiian Village leadership met with management staff yesterday to emphasize awareness of heightened security for all employees, asking them to watch for unattended vehicles, baggage and packages.
Carey said Outrigger employees are trained to watch for activity that is out of the ordinary but that "hotels are very difficult to protect and still do business."
"The hotel industry's not ready to ID check everyone in the lobby," Carey said. Hawaiian Airlines spokesman Keoni Wagner said past federal alerts have not caused any tremendous change in bookings or cancellations, but said, "anything that heightens anxiety in the marketplace tends to put downward pressure on travel demand."
Aloha Airlines is telling customers and employees to anticipate longer lines and delays because of reinstated security procedures at airports.
Advertiser Staff Writers William Cole, Kelly Yamanouchi, and Vicki Viotti contributed to this report.
