Hawaii Dem calls for ‘tough and quick accountability’ for false alarm

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) called for “tough and quick accountability” on Saturday after a false mobile alert warning that a ballistic missile was heading toward Hawaii prompted confusion and panic across the state.

In a pair of tweets, Schatz said that the false alarm was due to “human error” and demanded a quick fix to fool-proof the process for pushing out such alerts.

There is no missile threat. It was a false alarm based on a human error. There is nothing more important to Hawai‘i than professionalizing and fool-proofing this process.

— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) January 13, 2018

AGAIN FALSE ALARM. What happened today is totally inexcusable. The whole state was terrified. There needs to be tough and quick accountability and a fixed process.

— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) January 13, 2018

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A mobile alert pushed out across Hawaii on Saturday claimed that a ballistic missile had been launched toward the state, warning people to “seek immediate shelter” and that the message was “not a drill.”

Within minutes, U.S. lawmakers and officials sought to make clear that the alert was sent in error and that no missile was headed toward the islands.

The notification came amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, which has sought to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned that he has a nuclear launch button on his desk, and that the country has weapons capable of striking the U.S.