Hawaii Tests Nuclear Warning System in Response to North Korean Missile Threat

By Nathaniel Artosilla, Christian Post Contributor Monday, July 24, 2017

The state of Hawaii will begin monthly tests of attack warning sirens starting this November. This comes after North Korea was revealed to be in possession of a missile that could potentially hit the islands.

The tests are to be carried out on the first work day of every month with an "attention-alert" steady tone being followed by the wailing sound of the siren. Brochures, as well as radio, internet and TV ads, will also be employed to inform the public about the sirens.

The sirens in the state haven't been heard for 30 years, having gone silent at the end of the Cold War. The threat of disaster is already familiar for Hawaiians who for years have had to deal with the threat of tsunamis and hurricanes.

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Hawaii is the first state to prepare the public for a potential ballistic missile strike from North Korea. Unlike Alaska, it is home to a number of key military bases chief among them being Pearl Harbor.

A public education program about what to do in the event of a nuclear attack was announced by the state's Emergency Management Agency. State lawmakers also urged a revision of the outdated Cold War-era plans for dealing with such an attack.

A missile from the Korean Peninsula would take approximately 15–20 minutes to arrive at the island. Instructions are simple, "Get inside, stay inside and stay tuned."

Agency administrator Vern Miyagi said, "You will not have time to pick up your family and go to a shelter and all that kind of stuff. ... It has to be automatic."

Miyagi stressed that while this is scenario is very unlikely, it's a possibility that the state cannot ignore.

Among the 28 U.S. states and cities that Hawaii surveyed regarding nuclear preparedness, only California was the only one to ask for advice. Should North Korea get their hands on a missile that can reach the lower 48 states, California is the most likely target due to its large population density as well as various military installations.

Many of the states surveyed said that it is still too soon. Miyagi is also confident that the North Korean threat is still too small saying, "Hawaii is still safe." Nevertheless, the state already learned its lesson about being unprepared back in 1941 and will not be making the same mistake again.