The President alone determines and issues the COGCON Level. The Continuity of Government Readiness Conditions (COGCON) system establishes executive branch readiness levels based on possible threats to the National Capital Region. These ERGs are assigned to an alternate secure location on a rotating basis and are ready to take over the duty of supporting the National Essential Functions of this nation in an emergency. President Bush activated the shadow government on Septemshortly after the second attack on the World Trade Center. Every federal agency has designated key individuals to be part of an 'Emergency Relocation Group'. The Shadow Governmentįollowing a catastrophic national emergency, the President, or his successor can authorize the establishment of a temporary 'shadow government' to maintain control of the essential functions of the Federal Government.

Each agency is required to have a detailed Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) in place. The 2007 'National Security Presidential Directive 51' directs the geographic dispersion of leadership, staff, and infrastructure in order to maintain the functions of the United States Government in the event the nation’s capital is “decapitated” by a terrorist attack.īuried deep within the 102-page National Continuity Plan is the strategy for the mass evacuation and relocation of every federal government agency including The White House and the military in response to an exceptional catastrophic event within the National Capital Region. Since the days of the Cold War, the United States has had a plan in place to continue the operation of the government following a catastrophic attack on the nation's capital. The system was introduced in National Security Presidential Directive 51, signed by George W. Acknowledged, not able to report to Alternate Operating FacilityĬOGCON is a United States government readiness level, roughly analogous to the DEFCON alert state system, tracking the readiness of the government in the event of an emergency.Acknowledged, not capable of reporting within desired time frame.As an Emergency relocation group member you are reminded that should an order for Continuity of Operations occur you must report to the Alternate Operating Facility within four hours. No Action is required by you at this time. The Whitehouse has set Continuity of Government Conditions to Two.

What level defcon are we at