The White House is the official residence and office of the President of the United States and has a high level of security to ensure the safety of the President and others involved. The following are six familiar security measures compiled by the We Are The Mighty website for interested readers.
- Apply 21 days in advance of your visit
Although some areas of the White House are open to the public, people must apply at least 21 days in advance of the scheduled visit. This gives security personnel sufficient Time and ability to investigate the background of each visitor individually.
For security reasons, when these visitors are escorted through the White House by a docent, they will only be able to see prearranged and selected areas.
- Fencing
Among the many security measures, the fence around the White House is the most visible, effective, traditional and symbolic. The White House fence has undergone many changes since it was established by former President Thomas Jefferson in 1801.
What was once a simple barrier to keep out livestock has now become a large 11-foot (7.7 meters) high steel fence to keep out vehicles and people from climbing. The pointed iron above these fences not only prevents climbing, but also immediately notifies security personnel if anyone tries to put pressure on them.
- Bulletproof windows
Windows have never been able to withstand gunfire, but the White House has many of them. Even in the Oval Office, behind the Resolute Desk, which is used as a desk by the President of the United States, there are a large number of windows.
Fortunately, the White House windows are bulletproof and are probably among the most impenetrable windows known to man. In November 2011, an armed man fired seven bullets from a semi-automatic rifle at the White House, but no windows shattered.
- Infrared sensors
The White House has infrared sensors everywhere, covering every inch of space, including the sky, ground and underground. Because security is so tight, security personnel sometimes encounter intruders who break in, but are eventually found to be squirrels.
In January 2015, a White House employee was playing with a drone on the lawn after hours, and it went through the detection system until it touched the ground and set off an alarm, which was then discovered by security. It drove each of them crazy and highlighted the security gap at the time.
Since then, the White House has deployed drones to patrol and photograph, as well as shoot down other drones that intrude.
- Surface-to-air missiles
Washington, D.C., where the White House is located, is a no-fly zone. Any aircraft not flying regularly or following a strict flight path will be warned. If pilots do not immediately follow instructions to correct their course, these aircraft can be shot down by surface-to-air missiles deployed around Washington.
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