From Green To Red In Two Minutes

There's a color-coded alert system at the White House, much like the terror alert system instituted three years ago by the Department of Homeland Security. The relatively new system at the White House is geared specifically toward terror threats in the nation's capital.

On Wednesday, when a Cessna 150 violated the ADIZ, coming within three miles of the White House, the alert system was quickly ratcheted up from green to yellow, orange, then red.

According to White House spokesman Scott McClellan, this is the timetable:

1159: White House occupants were warned a small aircraft was within 15 miles, triggering a Yellow Alert.

1201: In spite of repeated warnings from ATC, the aircraft continued into the ADIZ, now within ten miles of the White House. The alert level was raised to Orange. The White House, Capitol, Supreme Court and US Treasury Department were evacuated. Vice President Dick Cheney, First Lady Laura Bush and former First Lady Nancy Reagan were whisked to an undisclosed location.

1203: Undeterred by intercepting F-16s scrambled from Andrews AFB, along with a DHS UH-60 Black Hawk, the aircraft continued its approach to the White House. The alert level was raised to Red, indicating a terror attack was imminent.

1211: After firing four flares, the intercepting F-16s were finally able to turn the offending C-150 west. The alert level was lowered to Yellow and those who had been evacuated were allowed to return to the White House, Supreme Court, Capitol and Treasury. The aircraft came within three miles of the White House, according to McClellan, before it was turned away.

FMI: www.whitehouse.gov