# 39 - Ballistic Missile Warning Update
Ok, so it has been almost three weeks since the HI-EMA employee scared the residents to death by "mistakingly" sending out an Inbound Ballistic Missile Warning to the entire state of Hawaii. Now we are finally finding out that it he did NOT send the message by mistake, he meant to do exactly what he did. He purposefully sent out the Ballistic Missile Warning because he thought we were under attack.
Apparently the employee overheard an audible message similar to the one that he sent out, but he missed the beginning of the transmission that clearly began with the statement: "EXERCISE . . . EXERCISE . . . EXERCISE" and he again missed the exact same "EXERCISE . . . EXERCISE . . . EXERCISE" message at the end of the transmission.
I have taken part in several mock disaster drills and exercises where a similar message is sent out over the air on radios as part of the drill, and you clearly say "EXERCISE" three times before the transmission begins, and follow it up with repeating the word "EXERCISE" three times after the transmission of the message.
Basically the message is transmitted this way:
**************************************************************************** EXERCISE . . . EXERCISE . . . EXERCISE
EMERGENCY ALERT
BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
EXERCISE . . . EXERCISE . . . EXERCISE
****************************************************************************
In this way, even if the beginning of the transmission was missed as it was in this situation, it would still be clear that it is just an exercise at the end of the message and there would not have been confusion leading to the warning message being sent out to the cell phones of all the residents of the state.
In another strange twist on the whole incident, the HI-EMA employee who caused this whole mess is now filing suit against the State of Hawaii for Defamation. Apparently he feels that his reputation has been harmed because officials of the state said that he mistakingly hit the wrong button when he in fact meant to send out the warning message because in his twisted mind, we were under attack and in about 20 minutes we would all be dead.
According to HI-EMA officials, he had a known history of making similar mistakes in the past showing that he had a problem telling the difference between a drill and a real life incident. Although none of the previous blunders rose to the level of causing sheer panic to over a million people like this incident did on the morning of January the 13th.
So lets break this down. This guy is upset that someone assumed that he simply made a mistake and hit the wrong button, but he has no problem with everyone knowing that he is a complete moron and cannot tell the difference between make believe and real life? Him filing this defamation suit proves he is more of an idiot than I originally took him for.
The main part of this whole story that I have a problem with is the fact that HI-EMA knew before this incident that he had a problem knowing the difference between fiction and reality and he was still allowed to be entrusted with being an employee at the state warning point, basically holding the fate of the citizen's future in his hands.
Because he was a state government employee he was a member of the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) union which is a big reason he was still employed by the state. Unions basically run Hawaii, and especially HGEA. It is extremely difficult to fire one of these union members because no matter what, the union stands behind them.
The now ex-employee feels like the state has made a scape-goat out of him. "It's been utter hell for me and my family" he said in a recent news interview with Hawaii News Now where he talks about still receiving death threats.
I can clearly understand how people can be so upset with him that they would send him death threats. He has single-handedly changed the lives of many residents forever. Several heart attacks that I know of were caused by this screwup, and numerous people including myself are having PTSD symptoms since he chose to make us all believe we were about to die. I for one, will never trust the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency again.
Along with the person who caused this whole panic finally being fired, Retired General Vern Miyagi, the HIEMA Administrator and Toby Clairmont, the HIEMA Executive Officer have both resigned due to this incident. but that does not go far enough. One person who verbally "fell on his sword" and took ultimate responsibility for the incident in a news conference that was aired on live television still holds his office, Governor David Ige.
If the people under him are handing in their resignations over this situation, then the one who came forward and said that since these people work for him he is ultimately responsible should do the same. Where is your resignation David?
If you really cared about the citizens of Hawaii and regaining their trust in HIEMA and the state government you would have resigned also. Your own Lieutenant Governor had enough sense and respect to leave his office, yet you hold on to yours. What kind of an example is that sending to everyone? Apparently when something this extreme happens, heads roll for everyone else, but for the one person who is ultimately responsible, life just goes on.
Well, you may think so, but we will show you otherwise in the next election.
73
RC
WH6FQE
Previous Episode:
Coming Episodes:
In upcoming episodes we will also take a look at "Water Purification & Sanitization" as well as "Vacuum Sealed vs. Mylar Bagged Food Storage". We will also take a look at the shelf-life of "Home Canned Foods" and the viability of using them in our emergency supplies. We will also have future episodes on Emergency Communications or EmComms.
Also we will have an episode on the need for a Wilderness First Aid training even if you live in a city. We will also take a look at the need for "Sanitation After A Disaster".
