San Diego, CA... The City of San Diego announced tonight that it will partially activate its Emergency Operations Center as a precautionary measure if hostilities begin in Iraq. The action is being taken in concert with the State and the County opening their emergency operations centers.

According to Mayor Dick Murphy and City Manager Michael Uberuaga, the Emergency Operations Center's staffing and times of operation will be based on intelligence and the probability of threat in the San Diego area. The City will work closely with the County in determining activation levels on a day-to-day basis.

The City raised its readiness condition to Operational Condition Alpha (OPCON Alpha) on Monday following Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge's comments that intelligence officials believe terrorists will attempt attacks against the U.S. and coalition targets worldwide if hostilities begin. Secretary Ridge had raised the federal alert level to orange - a high risk of terrorist activity.

OPCON Alpha is a condition warranted when there is a general threat of possible terrorist activity, violent protests, or other significant event. OPCON Alpha includes, but is not limited to, increasing security at City facilities and focusing increased attention on potential targets. "There is no known intelligence or credible threat against any agency or facility within the City of San Diego," Mayor Murphy said. "But given the range of possible terrorist scenarios and the federal level of concern, it is prudent to have elevated the City's readiness level and to ready the Emergency Operations center."

San Diego has long maintained the City's Emergency Operations Plan for all types of disasters and regularly trains with other local, state, and federal agencies to maintain readiness. Mayor Murphy reminded local residents to be alert to their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity. "Our best tool is if citizens are ready," the Mayor said. "People should prepare by having emergency preparedness kit, having a family or business plan, and being informed so they know how to recognize potential dangers and how to react to and report them."

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