How it happened
Human error caused Saturday’s false alarm. It took Hawaii Emergency Management Agency officials 38 minutes to tell cellphone users the alert was not real. Defense officials estimate it would take 20 minutes for a North Korean missile to reach Hawaii. Sequence of events:
8 a.m. (1 p.m. ET)
Hawaii EMA employee starts shift. Employee begins standard practice test of emergency missile-warning system. This is done during each shift change, three times a day.
8:05 a.m.
Test is initiated. Employee sees two options on computer screen, according to The Washington Post:
Test missile alert (this sends message internally to the agency). Missile alert (this sends message to the public).
Employee clicks on Missile alert by mistake. Computer asks to confirm choice. Employee clicks Yes.
8:07 a.m.
This message is sent to public:
“BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”
8:10 a.m.
Maj. Gen. Arthur Logan, state adjutant general and Hawaii EMA director, checks with U.S. Pacific Command, which says there is no missile.
Hawaii EMA notifies Honolulu police of false alarm.
8:13 a.m.
The State Warning Point, a communication/warning center, issues cancellation of alert. This prevents alert from being rebroadcast. Cellphones that have not already received alert will not receive it.
8:19 a.m.
U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, tweets that alert is false.
8:20 a.m.
Hawaii EMA uses Facebook and Twitter to report missile alert is canceled.
Gabbard retweets that alert is false.
8:24 a.m.
Hawaii Gov. David Ige retweets Hawaii EMA cancellation notice.
8:25 a.m.
Kirk Caldwell, mayor of Honolulu, tweets that alert is in error.
8:30 a.m.
On his Facebook page, Ige posts that alert has been canceled.
8:34 a.m.
U.S. Pacific Command says it detected no missile threat, and alert was sent in error.
8:45 a.m.
Hawaii EMA sends cellphone/TV/radio message that alert is false.
Aftermath
Civil defense employee has been reassigned.
Hawaii EMA suspends all warning-system tests until investigation is complete.
Hawaii EMA will require a two-person confirmation procedure before alert can be sent.