The Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) (1942-2001)

 

Presidential Emergency Operations Center
Type Of Activity	Crisis Management
Location
Location	The White House, Washington DC
Date of Activity	1942 to Present
Coordinates	38°53′52″N 77°02′11″W

Initially a bunker was constructed in the White House to protect President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the event of an aerial attack on Washington DC and this bunker has been an integral part of U.S. national security since World War II. During President Harry S. Truman’s extensive renovation of the White House from 1948 to 1952, the existing bunker was expanded into what is now known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC). Situated beneath the East Wing of the White House, the PEOC is designed to handle nuclear contingencies, serving as a haven of security and communication for the President of the United States and other high-ranking officials during times of crisis. 

In 1956 the cold War was becoming a large National issue; President Eisenhower and his Administration was overly concerned about the threat of Nuclear War. The federal Government realized that if an attack would occur that the area around Washington had to be protected so the Government would survive. A plan was approved and implemented, the construction of a communications network around Washington which was included in this plan for the relocation of Government Agencies, including the White House at a few locations that already existed also known as the Continuation of Government (COG). This Proposal presents the size and scope of certain Communications available today, at the National level.

The East Wing of the White House

The PEOC is likely to be the President's evacuation point in the event of an incoming ICBM, invasion, terrorist attack, or any other emergency. The PEOC is reportedly hardened to withstand up to 20 psi of blast overpressure from a nuclear detonation, boasting state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure to ensure the safety and functionality of its occupants.

The Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) in the East Wing of the White House

Over the years, the PEOC has undergone numerous upgrades. In 1988, the WHCA Signal switchboard was replaced by an AT&T Dimension 2000 system. This was later upgraded in 1994 to the Definity GR 3 with Dual Port Networks, connected via multimode fiber, and was referred to as the White House Switched Network (WHSN) during the Clinton Administration. The IST telephone, designed by Electrospace Systems Inc. and manufactured by Raytheon for the Defense Red Switch Network (DRSN), was also a key component of this upgrade. The DRSN is the main secure telephone network for military command and control communications and connects all major US command centers and many other military facilities. However, during 9/11, it came out that the Defense Red Switch Network (DRSN) didn't work like it should have.

The new system enhanced both the White House Admin Switchboard and WHCA’s Signal Switchboard, which consisted of 4,000 leased Centrex lines feeding three AT&T Definity GR 3 PBX switches with digital consoles. Lucent 8410 telephone sets are used with the internal telephone network for non-secure calls. The PEOC was also upgraded with modern communication equipment, including televisions and phones, to coordinate with external government entities. Secure communication channels, air filtration systems, and other critical infrastructure ensure no detail is overlooked in its construction. The IST telephone has been gradually replaced by the IST-2 since 2003.

The PEOC has been activated on several occasions throughout its existence. Its primary function is to protect the President and other key personnel in case of a security breach at the White House, including violations of the Washington, D.C. Air Defense Identification Zone (P-56 airspace). In such cases, as on September,11 2001, the President and other protectives are relocated to the executive briefing room adjacent to the PEOC.

North and South Towers of the World Trade Center and  the Marriot Vista Hotel at the base of the twin tower

On September 11, 2001, the PEOC played a significant role in the United States' response to the terrorist attacks. Vice President Dick Cheney, First Lady Laura Bush, Lynne Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Mary Matalin, and others were evacuated to the PEOC, where they coordinated the nation's response. President George W. Bush, visiting a school in Florida at the time, utilized the PEOC as the central command center, leveraging its advanced technology and secure communication channels.

While officials and other presidents had used the PEOC for drills and exercises, 9/11 was its first test in an actual emergency. The bunker's location is classified, and few are privy to its inner workings. What is known is that it is a massive underground facility with multiple layers, including living quarters, a medical suite, and conference rooms. The operations center, where the watch team fields phone calls, includes a conference room equipped with television screens, and a long conference table.

PEOC’s executive briefing room

The nation was shocked the moment that the news got out of the attack on the World Trade Center. Two planes, hijacked by Islamic jihadists vowing death to all Americans, plowed into both towers at the World Trade Center in New York. Another plane was flown into the Pentagon in Washington, DC. A fourth plane, presumably headed for the White House or the U.S. Capitol, was heroically diverted by passengers and ended up crashing in an empty field in Pennsylvania. After reports of the first plane hitting the North Tower, millions watched the second plane hit the South Tower on live television.

It was a terrifying, startling, and humbling event for the country. The 9/11 attacks were the deadliest on American soil since the shock attack at Pearl Harbor 60 years before, and the sense of outrage was reminiscent of that moment. The attacks in New York occurred in the country’s busiest city on a busy workday. And the staggered nature of the attacks meant that news footage captured almost everything as it happened, ensuring that millions of Americans saw the events precisely as they unfolded.

 Timeline September 11, 2001

5:45 AM – Mohamed Atta and Abdul Aziz al-Omari, two of the intended hijackers, pass through security at the Portland International Jetport in Maine. They board a commuter flight to Boston Logan International Airport; they then board American Airlines Flight 11.

7:59 AM – American Airlines American Airlines Flight 11 a Boeing 767 carrying 81 passengers and 11 crew members, departs from Logan International Airport in Boston, bound for Los Angeles International Airport.

 8:14 AM – American Airlines Flight 11 is hijacked over central Massachusetts. There are five hijackers on board 

Flight paths of the hijacked planes 

8:15 AM – United Airlines Flight 175 a Boeing 767, carrying 56 passengers and 9 crew members, departs from Logan International Airport in Boston, bound for Los Angeles International Airport.

8:19 AM – A flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11, alerts ground personnel that a hijacking is underway, and that the cockpit is unreachable.                                                     

8:20 AM – American Airlines Flight 77 a Boeing 757 with 58 passengers and 6 crew members, departs from Washington Dulles International Airport, for Los Angeles International Airport.

8:24 AM – Mohamed Atta, a hijacker on American Airlines Flight 11, unintentionally alerts air controllers in Boston to the attack. He meant to press the button that allowed him to talk to the passengers on his flight. 

8:37 AM – After hearing the broadcast from Atta on American Airlines Flight 11, Boston air traffic control alerts the US Air Force’s Northeast Defense Sector, who then mobilize the Air National Guard to follow the plane.

8:42 AM – United Airlines Flight 93 a Boeing 757 with 37 passengers and 7 crew members, departs from Newark International Airport, bound for San Francisco International Airport, after a delay due to routine traffic.

8:42–8:46 AM – United Airlines Flight 175 is hijacked above northwest New Jersey. There are five hijackers on board

8:46 AM – American Airlines Flight 11 crashes into the north face of the North Tower 1 of the World Trade Center, between floors 93 and 99. All passengers aboard are instantly killed, and employees of the WTC are trapped above the 91^st floor.

8:50–8:54 AM – American Airlines Flight 77 is hijacked above southern Ohio. There are five hijackers on board

Flight 175 heads toward the South Tower 2 of the World Trade Center

9:03 AM – United Airlines Flight 175 crashes into the south face of the South Tower 2 of the World Trade Center, between floors 77 and 85. All 65 all passengers aboard are killed instantly and so are an unknown number of people in the tower.

Flight 175 crashes into the south tower

9:05 AM – President George W. Bush, in an elementary school classroom in Florida, is informed about the hit on the second tower by his chief of staff, Andrew Card

9:28 AM – United Airlines Flight 93 was attacked by hijackers above northern Ohio. There are four hijackers on board and  forty passengers and crew members. These forty fought a battle in the sky over Pennsylvania. These 40 heroes voted and decided to fight back, thwarting a planned attack on our nation's capital. They saved the lives of many others, but sacrificed their own in a field just east of Pittsburgh in Somerset County, Pennsylvania

9:34AM American Airlines Flight 77 began turning south, away from the White House. It continued heading south for roughly a minute, before turning west and beginning to circle back. This news prompted the Secret Service to order the immediate evacuation of the Vice President just before 9:36 AM. Agents propelled him out of his chair and told him he had to get to the bunker. The Vice President entered the underground tunnel leading to the PEOC.

9:37 AM Vice President Cheney and the agents paused in an area of the tunnel that had a secure phone, a bench, and television. The Vice President asked to speak to the President, but it took time for the call to be connected and he saw television coverage of smoke coming from the North Tower.

9:37 AM – American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the western side of the  Pentagon. All passengers aboard are instantly killed and so are 125 civilian and military personnel in the building.

The Pentagon is hit by flight 77

9:39 AM The Secret Service logged Mrs. Cheney’s arrival at the White House, and she joined her husband in the tunnel, where the Vice President was still on the phone with the President advising that three planes were missing, and one had hit the Pentagon. This is the same call in which the Vice President urged the President not to return to Washington. After the call ended, Mrs. Cheney and the Vice President moved from the tunnel to the JEOC executive briefing room. The Vice President learns about the Pentagon.

Vice President Cheney in the PEOC

President Bush, in Florida, talks to Vice President Cheney

9:45 AM – US airspace is shut down under Operation Yellow Ribbon. All civilian aircraft are ordered to land at the nearest airport. Once in the conference room of the PEOC the Vice President  was able see a monitor with a feed showing every airplane across the nation still in the air. there were thousands of little airplane symbols on it

Sample screen of approximately 700/800  United Airlines flights in the air at 10:00 AM

9:55 AM – Air Force One with President George W. Bush aboard takes off from Florida.

9:57 AM – Passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93 begin to run up toward the cockpit. Jarrah, the pilot, begins to roll the plane back and forth in an attempt to destabilize the revolt.

9:59 AM – The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses. 56 minutes after the impact of. United Airlines Flight 175

The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses

10:02 AM – United Airlines Flight 93 plows into an empty field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Although its ultimate target is unknown, it was likely heading for either the White House or the US Capitol. Later reports indicate that passengers had learned about the World Trade Center and Pentagon crashes and were resisting the hijackers. All 44 people on board are killed in the crash.

Shanksville, Pennsylvania the site where flight 93 crashed

10:10 AM After the attacks had occurred, while crisis managers were still sorting out a number of unnerving false alarms, One of these alarms was of a reported threat against Air Force One itself, a threat eventually run down to a misunderstood communication in the hectic White House Situation Room that morning. While the plan at the elementary school had been to return to Washington, by the time Air Force One was airborne the Secret Service, the President’s advisers, and Vice President Cheney were strongly advising against it. President Bush reluctantly acceded to this advice and, Air Force One changed course and began heading due west. The immediate objective was to find a safe location—not too far away—where the President could land and speak to the American people. The Secret Service was also interested in refueling the aircraft and paring down the size of the traveling party. The President’s military aide, an Air Force officer, quickly researched the options and decided that Barksdale Air Force Base was an appropriate interim destination.

10:18 AM – After the planes struck the twin towers, a third took a chunk out of the Pentagon. President Bush authorized any non-grounded planes to be shot down. At that time, all four hijacked planes had already crashed but the president’s team was operating under the impression that United Airlines Flight 93 was still in the air. Vice President Cheney then heard a report that a plane over Pennsylvania was heading for Washington. A military assistant asked Cheney twice for authority to shoot it down. The vice president said yes. Then the word came that Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania.

Vice President Cheney in the PEOC on 9/11

President Bush initially thought the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania was the result of the shootdown order as did Vice President Cheney. Aides frantically called the White House Situation Room to find out whether a military jet had shot it down. It was then that they discovered the flight had crashed on its own. Everyone learned later that the passengers had tried to storm the cockpit to gain control of the aircraft.

10:28 AM – The North Tower of the World Trade Center collapses, 1 hour and 42 minutes after the impact of American Airlines Flight 11

The North Tower collapses 

 10:30 AM - The Marriott Vista Hotel at the base of the two towers is also destroyed

The Marriot Vista Hotel

10:50 AM – Five stories of the western side of the Pentagon collapse due to the fire.

10:53 AM – Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld orders the US military to move to a higher state of alert, going to DEFCON 3

AF1 at Barksdale AFB

10:30 AM – Air Force 1  lands at Barksdale Air Force Base, the home of the Air Force Global Strike Command near Shreveport, Louisiana. After getting the news of the first plane crashing into the World Trade Center in New York, President George W. Bush left Florida and wanted to head back to Washington D.C. However, the Secret Service strongly objected and Air Force One headed to Barksdale AFB instead.

The Air Force Global Strike Command Center at Barksdale AFB

11:45 AM- A hurriedly organized speech site would be needed for the president to address the nation, including a simple wooden podium. President Bush addressed the nation with his first public comments from a conference room at the 8th Air Force Headquarters.

President Busch confers with top aides

When Air Force One landed at Barksdale at about 10:30 AM, personnel from the local Secret Service office were still en route to the airfield. The motorcade consisted of a military police lead vehicle and a van; the proposed briefing theater had no phones or electrical outlets. Staff scrambled to prepare another room for the President’s remarks, while the lead Secret Service agent reviewed the security situation with superiors in Washington. The President completed his statement, which for security reasons was taped and not broadcast live, and then the traveling party returned to Air Force One.

President Busch addresses the nation from Barksdale AFB

12:15 PM – Approximately 2:30 hrs. after the FAA issued the order, airspace in the United States is completely free of thousands of commercial and private flights.

1:30 PM – Air Force 1 leaves Barksdale AFB.

2:30 PM – Rudy Giuliani, the mayor of New York City, visits the fallen Twin Towers of the World Trade Center at what becomes known as Ground Zero.

Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and New York Mayor Giuliani at Ground Zero

3:00 PM – Air Force 1 lands at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, and President Bush is immediately taken to a secure bunker that is capable of withstanding a nuclear attack. The next destination was discussed: once again the Secret Service recommended against returning to Washington, and the Vice President agreed.

President Bush arrives at Offutt AFB

Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska was chosen because of its elaborate command and control facilities, and because it could accommodate overnight lodging for 50 persons. The Secret Service wanted a place where the President could spend several days, if necessary.

3:15 PM, President Bush met with his principal advisers through a secure video teleconference. Rice said President Bush began the meeting with the words, “We’re at war,” and that Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet said the agency was still assessing who was responsible, but the early signs all pointed to al Qaeda. The Secretary of Defense had directed the nation’s armed forces to Defcon 3, an increased state of military readiness. For the first time in history, all nonemergency civilian aircraft in the United States were grounded, stranding tens of thousands of passengers across the country.

A secure video teleconference with the PEOC

Contingency plans for the continuity of government and the evacuation of leaders had been implemented. The Pentagon had been struck; the White House or the Capitol had narrowly escaped direct attack so extraordinary security precautions were also put in place at the nation’s borders and ports.

4:30 PM – Air Force 1 leaves Offutt and heads back toward Andrews Air Force base near Washington, DC. In the late afternoon, the President overruled his aides’ continuing reluctance to have him return to Washington and ordered Air Force One back to Andrews Air Force Base. He was flown by helicopter back to the White House, passing over the still-smoldering Pentagon.

President Bush returns to Washington

5:30 PM – Building 7 of the World Trade Center collapses. Debris from the North Tower ignited fires on at least 10 floors of World Trade Center 7, some of which burned out of control because the automatic sprinkler system for some floors had failed (partly due to city water lines damaged by the collapse of the Twin Towers).

Building 7 of the World Trade Center

6:00 PM - President Bush returns to the White House and joins Vice President Cheney in the PEOC.

In the PEOC just prior to his speech addressing the events of the day

8:30 PM – President Bush addresses the nation. President Bush goes on national TV to address the nation from the White House. After emphasizing that the first priority was to help the injured and protect against any further attacks, he said: “We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.” He quoted Psalm 23—“though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death . . .” No American, he said, “will never forget this day.”

President Bush addresses the nation from the Oval Office

9:00 PM Following his speech, President Bush met again with his National Security Council (NSC), expanded to include Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta and Joseph Allbaugh, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who had returned from Peru after hearing of the attacks, joined the discussion. They reviewed the day’s events.

National Security Council and others meet in the PEOC ‘s executive briefing room

When the meeting with the NSC concluded the Secret Service suggested that President Bush and Mrs. Bush spend the night in the PEOC, but they declined the antiquated furniture in the living quarters of the PEOC, choosing to return to the residence in the White House instead.

President Bush, the First Lady, Vice President Cheney and others prepare to leave the PEOC for the evening

Vice President Cheney and his staff were transported by helicopter to Camp David that night, returning to the White House the following day thus ending the need for the PEOC.

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, combined with emerging demands from a tech-savvy administration, emphasized the critical need for reliable, real-time, and secure information flow to the President and his staff. September 11 was the first real test of the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) during a crisis, exposing the deficiencies in the existing communication systems. This event underscored the issues the Department of Defense (DOD) had already identified. WHCA had already embarked on a significant modernization effort, and by September 11, they had a clear understanding of what was needed. The attacks only intensified the urgency of these efforts.

The transformation plan for this information technology overhaul included a realignment of core functions and missions within the White House Communications Agency (WHCA), along with a series of technological upgrades. Many of these improvements were initiated before September 11. At the end of 2000, the U.S. Defense Department assessed the President’s communication capabilities, focusing on DOD support to the commander in chief.

In the three years following September 11, there were significant changes in the presidential communication systems, largely driven by WHCA, which accelerated their efforts after the attacks. Although much has been accomplished, continued enhancements are necessary to ensure the President and his staff can fully leverage the benefits of advancing technology.

WHCA began evaluating each of its existing systems, examining their capacities and capabilities, and exploring the potential of Internet technology. This evaluation encompassed everything from office phones to the mobile systems that travel with the President, as well as the communications systems on aircraft. WHCA identified around 41 projects that required attention, prioritizing 11 of the largest and most complex under the Pioneer Project.

This initiative included upgrading all IP networks supporting WHCA’s role in White House operations, converging data, voice, and video on those networks, introducing a new IP-capable mobile band, enhancing the secure voice environment known as the Defense Red Switch Network (DRSN). Which, during 9/11, it came out that the Red Switch did not perform like it should have, and finally to expand the use of various military communications satellites.

In 2010, workers broke ground on the North Lawn of the White House for another underground project. Although officially described as an update to electrical and air conditioning systems, speculation suggests it was a cover for constructing a new White House bunker under the East Wing. While the area reportedly wasn’t in use under President Barack Obama’s administration, some believe the PEOC underwent renovation between 2010 and 2012 as $375 million was used for an upgrade at the White House, it’s probably safe to assume this state-of-the-art shelter features something more comfortable than a few fold-out beds from the 1940s for the principle parties. by almost all accounts part of the project included a new, massively expanded, PEOC—one complete with the latest communications, computer systems, and environmental technologies that could allow the President and their staff to operate unimpeded for extended periods of time during a crisis. In other words, we are likely talking about a fortified, deeply buried, five-story office building—an underground emergency White House if you will—that is in itself akin to a giant Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), which would also make it an ideal locale for holding highly sensitive meetings. 

In an increasingly uncertain world, the importance of the PEOC cannot be overstated. It represents the country's commitment to preparedness and dedication to ensuring the safety and security of its people. In the face of adversity, the PEOC stands as a testament to the resilience and strength of the United States, embodying the enduring American spirit.

The tragedy of September 11, 2001 will never be forgotten. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum opened on the site of the former World Trade Center on September 11, 2011, and features reflecting pools in the footprints of where the Twin Towers once stood.