Our bags were picked up Friday evening, so we had only carry-ons to pack Saturday morning. For me, that meant electronics: laptop, Bob's iPad, my camera. We were up early enough to watch our arrival in the port of Honolulu, lovely and peaceful in the soft morning light. After showering, we sat quietly on the deck with our coffee.
The ship's docking activities continued below us, and we watched the ship being refueled from a floating station, with a long boom surrounding the area to contain any possible leak. The morning was peaceful and we were ready to leave our stateroom by the 8:30 a.m. departure time assigned to us.
The ship's docking activities continued below us, and we watched the ship being refueled from a floating station, with a long boom surrounding the area to contain any possible leak. The morning was peaceful and we were ready to leave our stateroom by the 8:30 a.m. departure time assigned to us.
The emergency alert hit each of our cell phones almost simultaneously:
Extreme alert BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Jan. 13, 8:07 AM.
Bob and I immediately had the same thought: that we were in a very vulnerable position, sitting just above a refueling operation. Time for a quick mental Hail Mary. I learned later that Bob had said one too -- the automatic response for Catholics of our generation.
Extreme alert BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Jan. 13, 8:07 AM.
Bob and I immediately had the same thought: that we were in a very vulnerable position, sitting just above a refueling operation. Time for a quick mental Hail Mary. I learned later that Bob had said one too -- the automatic response for Catholics of our generation.
We decided to leave our stateroom immediately and learned that everyone else had received the same alert. The captain announced that the ongoing disembarking process would be suspended until more information was available. His voice was unemotional and confident.
We stood near the gangway with everyone else, and everyone was very calm. I did reflect quietly and thought that our affairs were pretty much in order, so I was not really worried. Perhaps 10 minutes later the captain announced that the alert had been sent in error.
38 minutes after the original message, we received the retraction:
Extreme alert There is no missile threat or danger to the State of Hawaii. Repeat. False alarm. Jan. 13, 8:45 AM.
Later in the day, we learned that the world had reacted in outrage and people in Hawaii and elsewhere had indeed panicked. An airport employee told us the situation there had been somewhat chaotic after the initial alert.
Extreme alert There is no missile threat or danger to the State of Hawaii. Repeat. False alarm. Jan. 13, 8:45 AM.
Later in the day, we learned that the world had reacted in outrage and people in Hawaii and elsewhere had indeed panicked. An airport employee told us the situation there had been somewhat chaotic after the initial alert.
As we reflect on the incident 48 hours later, we realize that there is really nowhere to go in Honolulu, where population is dense and the entire city seems overbuilt. I hope this incident results in a review of alert procedures all over the country. Apparently someone "pressed the wrong button" -- actually, I think this was a dropdown menu choice, involving the use of a non-drill template. Who has the authority to send people into a panic like this? Surely there should be a strict protocol and better controls, not only in Hawaii but possibly in other states as well. Maybe this is is yet another wake-up call.
January 31 news story. This article summarizes what I suspected. The false alert seems to have been a combination of sloppy protocol, confusing procedures subject to individual interpretation, problem employees and, most important, weak and ineffective management.
January 31 news story. This article summarizes what I suspected. The false alert seems to have been a combination of sloppy protocol, confusing procedures subject to individual interpretation, problem employees and, most important, weak and ineffective management.
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