Prank? Missile alert in Hawaii (Sat am)

[Bill4728]

We're currently in Hawaii and just received a missile alert " take cover, inbound missle, not a drill" on all our cell phones.

Then about 3 minutes later received a notice over the fire/emergency alarm system that it was just a drill.

Scary as hell for those 3 minutes.

Edited to add
Here is the exact message "BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL"

 

[PamMo]

Oh, my! That would be terrifying! Not funny at all if it was a prank.

 

[Bill4728]

There is now a twitter post which said the Hawaii state emergency system sent out the CELL PHONE alert this morning by mistake.

Some mistake??!!

 

[b2bailey]

My daughter and family are in Maui. She called me immediately and said what should we do? They were driving to airport. I looked at internet, saw it was a false alarm, and was able to relay the info to her. What a way to start the day -- and end a first trip to Maui.

 

[dougp26364]

I’d love that! A message from a government agency YOU’RE GOING TO DIE............. just kidding

 

[PamMo]

Yes, I just heard the same thing on the news. How do you make a mistake like that, and take three minutes to correct it?

I bet it seemed A LOT longer than three minutes!

 

[DeniseM]

This announcement was sent through official government communications, so it seems very unlikely that it was a prank - the official govenment response is that it was an error.

 

[pedro47]

How many folks took this missle alert serious? Alert or false alert, we as Americans are not ready for this and that is my personal opinion only. My thoughts went back to 09/11 sitting and having breakfast @ LAFB watching television. I thought it was first a movie and then the alarm went off and the base was shut down. Jet fighter planes took to the air. We were at war. Minutes passed as I watch that television screen. I was scare.

These were my experiences and my personal opinion. I am praying all is well and have return to normal on the Island.

 

[Panina]

This is a big mistake. They should explain how it happened.

Could it be did something made them think we might be in danger and that is why it was sent. We will never know for sure.

Seek immediate shelter? where from a ballistic missile?

 

[DeniseM]

CNN says emergency management was doing a drill, and someone accidentally sent out a live message.

 

[dioxide45]

Seek immediate shelter? where from a ballistic missile?

My thoughts exactly. When we were in Hawaii, we talked about this. If you only had three minutes to do anything, well that isn't even enough time to get downstairs from your villa. If it doesn't immediately kill you, then the fallout probably will. Even if it were to hit one of the other islands than the one you are on, the ensuing panic and loss of infrastructure and organization would make it like hell on earth. ThinK of St Maarten after the hurricanes, only worse. We, nor anyone else is not really prepared for anything like this. No matter how much we want to think we are, we aren't.

 

[Panina]

My thoughts exactly. When we were in Hawaii, we talked about this. If you only had three minutes to do anything, well that isn't even enough time to get downstairs from your villa. If it doesn't immediately kill you, then the fallout probably will. Even if it were to hit one of the other islands than the one you are on, the ensuing panic and loss of infrastructure and organization would make it like hell on earth. ThinK of St Maarten after the hurricanes, only worse. We, nor anyone else is not really prepared for anything like this. No matter how much we want to think we are, we aren't.

Agree, we are not prepared. With all the craziness in the world more needs to be done but not sure what can be done to prepare us for this, scary.

 

[DeniseM]

Governor David Ige said that a shift change was occuring at the Hawaii Emergency Management System, and at every shift change they do a test to make sure the emergency warning system is functioning, but they accidentally sent out a live message, instead of the test. The test is done 3 times a day - at every shift change, so it's a normal procedure that someone messed up.

The person in-charge of the system said that 3 people were there, and there was a check-list that was supposed to have been followed, and it apparently it wasn't, and then, the correction was not immediately implemented, as it should have been.

 

[davidvel]

Governor David Ige said that a shift change was occuring at the Hawaii Emergency Management System, and at every shift change they do a test to make sure the emergency warning system is functioning, but they accidentally sent out a live message, instead of the test. The test is done 3 times a day - at every shift change, so it's a normal procedure that someone messed up.

The person in-charge of the system said that 3 people were there, and there was a check-list that was supposed to have been followed, and it apparently it wasn't, and then, the correction was not immediately implemented, as it should have been.

I've been involved in hundreds of Emergency Operations Center (EOC) drills/tests, and I've never seen "This is NOT a drill," appended to a message. To the contrary, messages are stated "This IS A DRILL."

Disgruntled worker on the way out?

 

[jestme]

Im here. It was about 38 minutes of no fun. Apparently, the sirens went off in the valley, but not Waikiki. All our phones went off with the message. It will be a topic of discussion at the bar today I'm sure.

 

[dioxide45]

I guess this raises the question, if the world was about to end would you really want that three minutes notice?

 

[CO skier]

I've been involved in hundreds of Emergency Operations Center (EOC) drills/tests, and I've never seen "This is NOT a drill," appended to a message. To the contrary, messages are stated "This IS A DRILL."

Disgruntled worker on the way out?

A cynic might think it was something aimed at changing the weekend news cycle. It certainly has done that. Imagine all the "man-on-the-ground" reactions that will be reported today and tomorrow. Reporter - "What did you do when you got the message that a ballistic missile was inbound" and then it is open mic time. Ratings skyrocket.

 

[MOXJO7282]

I'm so sorry for all those terrified over this human error. It's so troubling we live in a world that we even have to worry about something like this.

 

[Chrispee]

My inlaws are in Waikiki right now but thankfully slept through this whole ordeal. It’s hard to believe that those responsible at EOC could be so incompetent. Maybe a case of the tail wagging the dog?

 

[Panina]

Oh No, this is starting to go political. Please keep our safe haven Tug free from politics.

 

[Kapolei]

I got the second alert canceling the first. Then I looked at the first alert that was still on my phone and thought that is ridiculous. I thought If it was a real alert, the internet is going to go crazy.

I can say there is a large part of the population that never saw anything. We have sirens across the island that were not triggered. For most, there was zero effect on their day.

The real problem was the delay in getting the second alert out

 

[SeaDoc]

We're currently in Hawaii and just received a missile alert " take cover, inbound missle, not a drill" on all our cell phones.

Then about 3 minutes later received a notice over the fire/emergency alarm system that it was just a drill.

Scary as hell for those 3 minutes.

Edited to add
Here is the exact message "BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL"

For everyone else, it was 38 minutes before the notification was rescinded. How you knew 3 minutes after 8:08am is beyond me. We are in Maui and people were terrified for 38 minutes...

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[taffy19]

I wonder how many people had a heart attack because of this horrible mistake? Where are the shelters anyway, if there are any?

 

[SeaDoc]

I wonder how many people had a heart attack because of this horrible mistake? Where are the shelters anyway, if there are any?

None on Maui. Horrific experience... Nothing humorous about it...

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[taffy19]

None on Maui. Horrific experience... Nothing humorous about it...

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

I agree and I wasn't trying to be funny. It shows how "Bureaucrats" work and plan.