On Saturday, the 13th Hawaii accidentally sent out missile alerts to the residents of Hawaii. The notification was supposed to say that it was a drill, but the employee accidentally pressed the wrong link. Many people went to hide until it was announced that it was a mistake and there was no missile. Trump’s response to the situation isn’t helping anyone to quell their fear. With the false alarm may people considered it a wake-up call, it gave much appreciation to loved ones, and for the islands’ simple pleasures.

Around 8 a.m., an employee was supposed to initiate a test for a warning of an emergency missile warning. It was a drill the agency started to preform back in November when Hawaii also brought back the Cold War-era nuclear warning system with the growing fear of North Korea attacking. The employee had a drop-down menu on a computer program and saw two options, one said, “Test missile alert” and, “Missile alert”, as most people around the world know that he chose the latter, which sent the residents of Hawaii on a panic for 38 minutes.

Many people decided to take shelter and hid until they found out that it was a false alarm. There is footage on social media of people climbing in the sewers to get to safety. Later a second text read, “There is no missile threat or danger to the State of Hawaii. Repeat. False Alarm.” One family even hid in a storm drain, the false alarm even interrupted, a game of soccer with Tottenham vs Everton.

When Trump finally responded to the incident it didn’t help anyone. Someone asked Trump what he will do to prevent this type of thing from happening again, all he said was “We hope it won’t happen again”. While the alarm went off Trump was golfing and he knew what was happening and he did not tweet that it was a false alarm. Jim Carrey, who received the message and warned people about how it could be a foreboding mistake. Jamie Lee Curtis and Jeffery Wright called out the president directly.

After the alarm people there realized how much they were thankful for and also was a wake-up call. It brought people together in a way they hadn’t before, even in a place where the, “aloha spirit” is such a fact of life that it is codified in state laws.

Works Cited:
Michael, Tom B. “Hawaii Missile Alert: How One Employee ‘Pushed the Wrong Button’ and Caused a Wave of Panic.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 14 Jan. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/01/14/hawaii-missile-alert-how-one-employee-pushed-the-wrong-button-and-caused-a-wave-of-panic/?utm_term=.9f1c1d361d10.

Florio, Angelica. “Donald Trump Finally Commented on the False Missile Alert in Hawaii, and His Response Is Unsettling.” HelloGiggles, 15 Jan. 2018, 12:31 p.m., hellogiggles.com/news/donald-trump-false-missile-alert-in-hawaii-response/.