Daily Mail: 'He feels really bad': Civil Defense employee who sparked terror in Hawaii by accidentally triggering ballistic MISSILE warning will be 'retrained' say officials after thousands fled to bomb shelters
* The alert was issued to residents' phones at 8.07am on Saturday morning
* It told them to seek shelter and warned of an 'inbound ballistic missile threat'
* It took 38 minutes for a second phone alert to be issued across the state
* By then, terrified residents had flocked to shelters and into their garages
* Civil Defense employee accidentally hit alert, was unaware until his phone got it
* An FCC investigation into the incident is underway, officials said
A Civil Defense employee is set to be retrained after a shocking blunder on Saturday morning, when a mistaken alert warning of an inbound ballistic missile sent thousands fleeing for shelter.
The false alarm was caused by a Hawaii Emergency Management Agency employee who 'pushed the wrong buttons' during an internal drill timed to coincide with a shift handover at 8.07am. The all-clear phone alert was not sent until 38 minutes later.
Incredibly, officials said the employee who made the mistake wasn't aware of it until mobile phones in the command center began displaying the alert.
Read more ....
Update #1: Hawaii missile false alarm triggers shock, blame and apologies (BBC)
Update #2: From paradise to panic: Hawaii residents and vacationers run for cover, fearing missile attack (CNN)
WNU Editor: Why am I not surprised .... many in the media are blaming President Trump for this false alert .... The false alarm in Hawaii revealed an abdication of leadership by Trump (Washington Post), celebrities and some in Hawaii are piling on .... Trump Blamed For Hawaii False Missile Warning (Inquisitr), and some politicians are demanding that President Trump talk to the North Korean (as if that is going to make a difference) .... Panic over false missile alert shows US must 'absolutely and immediately' talk to North Korea: Congresswoman (ABC News).
