The document discusses the 2018 Hawaii false missile alert incident from multiple perspectives. It provides a chronology of events and responses from state officials. It also discusses proposed legislation from US Senators Schatz, Harris, and Gardner to strengthen emergency alert systems on both the state and federal levels. Correspondence is included between Governor Abercrombie and others regarding leadership and taking responsibility.

1. HAWAII FALSE MISSILE ALERT
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE COLLEEN HANABUSA – GOVERNOR DAVID IGE
Deja Vu – System Alert Error
U.S. SENATOR BRIAN SCHATZ
Lessons Learned – Moving On
HAWAII GOVERNORS
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE COLLEEN HANABUSA, GUBERNATORIAL CHALLENGER
“I would have called the media much faster to help get the word out to the public about it
being a false alarm. You get to the media.”
“You make the calls to the stations and you make the announcement.”
The Honolulu Civil Beat
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U.S. Representative Hanabusa dials . . . . . . .
Operator: “Please place your call again. All systems are busy.”
U.S. Representative Hanabusa: “I don't believe this!”
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GOVERNOR DAVID IGE
I'm an engineer, and I know that things exist in systems. Engineers in search of solutions
know that you have to consider all the things that occur, that you have to work out all the
pieces. It's not just about doing.
Chronology from Hawaii Emergency Management
Approx. 8:05 a.m. – A routine internal test during a shift change was initiated.
This was a test that involved the Emergency Alert System, the Wireless
Emergency Alert, but no warning sirens.
8:07 a.m. – A warning test was triggered statewide by the State Warning Point, HI-EMA.
8:10 a.m. – STATE ADJUTANT MAJ. GEN. JOE LOGAN, VALIDATED with the
U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND that there was NO MISSILE LAUNCH.
HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED of the false alarm by
HI-EMA.

2. 8:13 a.m. – STATE WARNING POINT ISSUES A CANCELLATION of the CIVIL
DANGER WARNING MESSAGE.
8:20 a.m. – HI-EMA ISSUES PUBLIC NOTIFICATION of CANCELLATION via THEIR
FACEBOOK and TWITTER accounts.
8:24 a.m. – Governor Ige RETWEETS HI-EMA's cancellation notice.
8:30 a.m. – Governor POSTS cancellation notification to HIS FACEBOOK page.
8:45 a.m. – AFTER GETTING AUTHORIZATION from FEMA INTEGRAL PUBLIC
ALERT AND WARNING SYSTEM, HI-EMA issued a “CIVIL EMERGENCY
MESSAGE” remotely.
THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM (EAS)
1. EAS message broadcast over Local TV/Radio Audio Broadcast & Television Crawler
Banner:
“False Alarm. There is no missile threat to Hawaii.”
“False Alarm. There is no missile threat or danger to the State of Hawaii.
Repeat. There is no missile threat or danger to the State of Hawaii. False Alarm.”
2. Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA)
“False Alarm. There is no missile threat or danger to the State of Hawaii.”
9:30 a.m. – Governor makes INITIAL MEDIA NOTIFICATION.
9:34 a.m. – Governor's message POSTED to HIS FACEBOOK and TWITTER accounts.
[ Emphasis Supplied ]
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U.S. SENATOR BRIAN SCHATZ
LESSONS LEARNED – MOVING ON
THE ALERT ACT
U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)
U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-California)
U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colorado)
State and local governments have been largely responsible for alerting the public of
threats from natural disasters and severe weather. But the system they use rests upon a
patchwork of technologies and procedures that do not follow consistently across
government agencies that issue theses alerts.

3. The false alarm in Hawaii highlighted some of the weaknesses in the state's emergency
alert system, which had a poorly designed user interface and did not have sufficient
verification system or computer redundancies to act as a safeguard from mistakes.
This incident made clear there is a need for a federal system and called into question the
state's responsibility to issue a missile alert.
The Schatz-Harris-Gardner legislation would strengthen the way states and local
governments use the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), the FEMA
platform emergency management professionals across the country use to issue warnings.
United States Senator Brian Schatz
THE RELIABLE EMERGENCY ALERT DISTRIBUTION IMPROVEMENT ACT
(READI ACT)
U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota)
The bill would require alerts to run repeatedly on TV and radio, and potentially also run
on streaming services such as Netflix.
Schatz Introduces Bill to Shore Up Local Emergency Alert Systems
By Marcel Honore. Honolulu Civil Beat.
July 20, 2018, accessed July 27, 2018
http://amp.civilbeat.org/2018/07/schatz-introduces-bill-to-shore-up-local-emergency-alert-systems/
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OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
8•26•14
Clif
Many thanks for your kind and generous letter. The sentiments expressed are
deeply appreciated. I will do my best to continue to justify your confidence.
Aloha Gov
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5•25•18
Governor Abercrombie
Senator Brian Schatz continues to evolve, innovate and mature as a leader in
the Senate. Your decision was the right decision for the right reasons.
Aloha, the Govs . . . . . V/R Clif
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4. GREAT LEADERS ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE CURRENT SITUATION AND FOCUS ON SOLUTIONS
Friend, make no mistake, the frst, and utmost important characteristic of a true
leader is their willingness to own whatever challenges they come across during
their tenure as leader. Defecting and placing blame outside themselves doesn't
fx anything, and those who take this approach inevitably end up disqualifying
themselves as true leaders. Anyone can acknowledge and point out past
problems, and place blame on others who may or may not have had a hand in
whatever challenges exist.
True leaders are those who refuse to go down the all too common road which
is paved by blame, and even goes as far as to ensure that those around them
don't attempt to shift blame either. The true leader accepts the situation as is it
now, and further, accepts that he or she is fully responsible for the end result.
They relish in this challenge — they know that excuses, or shifting blame in
anyway will diminish their ability to lead, because of the loss of respect they
will get as a result of placing blame, and not accepting that they were put in
the position they are now because others believed they could get things to
where they needed to be, regardless of whatever situation they may have
inherited.
Make no mistake, true leaders make the decision to get on with the business of
fxing whatever problems and challenges may appear, when they appear,
holding and expressing their vision for what will create that and keep others
updated with real, measurable results so that everyone can see frst hand that
things are in fact changing for the better.
All of us must be responsible for holding those we entrust with the role of
leader accountable. When we see that they are falling short, we must be willing
to point it out, and let them know we expect better.
It's Your Life, LIVE BIG!
Josh Hinds