Missile threat alert for Hawaii a false alarm

Is it normal for one button to start the broadcast of an emergency through phone, tv and radio all at once? .... I'd of thought it would have to go through all the channels (no pun intended).

a reply to: Indrasweb

What were they supposed to do?

Run into the streets, jump into their cars, and hightale it for home? Or... Stay out of the way, and hope/pray it's all, as it turns out ('til other info presents itself) a false alarm.

That would be a sphincter tightening, or loosening, moment, that's for sure.

IT was PHAGE..... bumped a button.

Along with its capability of providing an emergency message to the entire nation simultaneously, the EAS allows authorized state and local authorities to quickly distribute important local emergency information. A state emergency manager can use the EAS to broadcast a warning from one or more major radio stations in a particular state. EAS equipment in other radio and television stations, as well as in cable television systems in that state, can automatically monitor and rebroadcast the warning.

FCC

C.
State Level.

The statewide EAS Network disseminates warnings and/or instructions from the governor or his/her designated representative during threats or emergencies affecting one or more counties within the state. The statewide network may also be activated by the National Weather Service Forecast Office to disseminate weather or tsunami related watches or warnings.

...

B.
State Level.
May be activated by either of two agencies in response to actual or potentially hazardous conditions:

1.
The governor or his/her designee, the Director of Civil Defense, may activate the EAS upon determination that sufficient danger exists to pose a threat to the safety of life and property in one or more counties. Coordinated use of the siren warning system with the EAS will occur when required.

...

2.
The NWS will issue advisories, watches and warnings when adverse weather conditions are expected to impact all or a portion of the state. The NWS in Hawaii operates the local portion of the NOAA Weather Radio (VHF) system, and generates Specific Area Message Encoding messages for required events. SAME encoded messages use common protocols and event codes with the EAS, so that any SAME message will be decoded by EAS encoders/decoders at all broadcast/cable provider locations. Only those SAME encoded messages listed in Attachment E are to be programmed to activate the EAS.

State of Hawaii
EMERGENCY
ALERT SYSTEM (EAS)
Plan (direct .pdf link)

So only the Governor, the Director of Civil Defense, or someone from the National Weather Service can activate a statewide EAS message.

If this was indeed human error, then it should be very easy to track down which human erred.

My brother-in-law is a Chief on the SSN-780 and was just recently restationed in Hawaii with his wife and two children. I finally was able to talk to his wife through facebook and she said it was crazy. Her reply on facebook was as follows:

Oh dude it was crazy. I was on base and people were running around and driving around like maniacs, wives were crying while in cars. J*** was at the hotel still and people were freaking out running through the halls.

Glad all is well as we here were freaking out a bit as well worried about our family.

originally posted by: Indrasweb
You know what strikes me about this; the absolute lack of a response from the people filming the videos etc.

If this was real, they're all dead..

Stood looking gormlessley at the TV screen, through the screen of their mobile phone, mindlessly recording the voice blaring out of the TV telling them there's a good chance they're about to be vaporised....

The fact that there was such an ORDERLY almost NUMB response to this is worrying to me.. are people that desensitized?

Jeez.. war of the worlds, a radio show about Martians shooting death rays ffs, sent people into an absolute blind panic.

Fast forward 80 years and here we have a clearly official announcment from the government that you're about to be hit by a freaking ICBM and people are watching the #ing tv?

Insanity.

In my case, I was at work.
But im one of those wierd prepper guys. I kept my head.
I knew that there was nothing I could do to stop a missle that was on it`s way, But I was prepared if I survived.
But why pannic? If it`s your time, it`s your time.

I called my children and gave them instructions and tried to calm them down.
Then I closed my little store and sent potential customers who did`nt get the text message away for them to take shelter or be with their families.

Then I hunkered down in my store and ate a hot dog and had a beer (actually a couple).

Panicking would have done no good. I was actually more excited than anything.
But a tiny bit of fear actually hit after the all clear was given, but nothing major.
Oh well.
Know I know that im truly not afraid.

Thats just my account of what happened.

a reply to: johnjohn808

great post

a reply to: Catch_a_Fire

Apparently there's a test button and an alert button neither system is redundant at this time.

a reply to: johnjohn808

I also loved reading your story!

Going forward, I want to hear how/if this incident serves an impetus for people in Hawaii to actively prepare for when they get a warning that is not false.

People had 37 minutes to seriously assess what they wish they did, what they would do if given a second chance opportunity, to prepare emotionally, to come to peace with it...

Part of me feels like it was a drill...one that was meant to appear convincingly real (so that people don't brush it off easily, and so they take action to prepare).

***

ETA: And I would feel ridiculous saying that I believe that this was not intentional. Like, I can't believe that anyone would believe it was not intentional.

Much more dangerous to meet lil Kim's bud Dennis Rodman while he drunkenly drives on the wrong side of the freeway.Imho..

a reply to: lokomai

They knew immediately that a mistake had been made but had no way of cancelling the alert banners that went to phones.
The tv message apparently was corrected within fifteen minutes but the cell phone alert took longer.
Says the guy from Hawaii on tv who just happens to be named Mr. Miyagi.

Warning on

Warning off

Warning on

Warning off

a reply to: seagull


I forget where I read it, but once upon a time back in the cold war era you have approximately 45 minutes from launch till impact, so take off some more time for double checking before we start our counter and you may have 30 mins.

I say get a bottle of scotch grab the significant other get buzzed and have one more big finish before the long sleep.

when the real one happens (and it will) i shall simply spark up a large doobie, crack open a bottle of whiskey and say 'meh'. out of my hands and cares.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

Yes they know who he was. He is very embarrassed by his error.

originally posted by: Sillyolme
a reply to: lokomai

They knew immediately that a mistake had been made but had no way of cancelling the alert banners that went to phones.
The tv message apparently was corrected within fifteen minutes but the cell phone alert took longer.
Says the guy from Hawaii on tv who just happens to be named Mr. Miyagi.

Warning on

Warning off

Warning on

Warning off

I saw some of my friends in Hawaii posted that it took 38 minutes for the word to be sent out that it was a false alert.

a reply to: Sillyolme

Have the local news cut in and say it was a false alarm??

Sorry, I think people were intentionally made to take this seriously for 37 minutes. It was a drill -- not a test, not an accident -- and it had to be convincing in order for it to be effective.

Everyone has been made to assess the situation as if their lives depend on it for 37 minutes, and formulate their own plan that will work for them and their family. And they are motivated, too.

a reply to: [post=23043849]MotherMayEye[/

BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII,” the message read. “SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”

a reply to: MOMof3

Well, if the drill meant having people believe it was not a drill, then that's how the message would read.

Call it a 'drill' call it a 'state exercise,' it was intentional that people were made to believe this was real for 37 minutes.

originally posted by: butcherguy
I saw some of my friends in Hawaii posted that it took 38 minutes for the word to be sent out that it was a false alert.

Yes! A tweet? Local news break? Facebook even!

They can claim the accidental pressing of a button caused this all they want....but that does not explain why people were left to believe the warning was real for 37 minutes.

That was intentional...and so was the pressing of the *ahem* button.

a reply to: butcherguy

That's what I heard too. Mr. Miyagi said that's how long it took to correct the phone banner. He said alerts to the tv stations was quicker. He didn't say how much quicker but another man at the same press conference in Honolulu said it took fifteen minutes to alert all the tv stations.