FEMA: Ige, Miyagi Wrong About 38 Minute Delay
In Hawaii, No Heads Roll over False Missile Alarm
FCC: Hawaii did not have Reasonable Safeguards to Prevent False Alarm
1959: Martin Luther King Jr Salutes Hawaii Statehood
Clayton Hee: Freddy Rice was Right to Sue
SA: …After being barred from voting in an OHA election in 1996, Rice prevailed before the U.S. Supreme Court in a 7-2 decision in 2000 based on arguments that the 15th Amendment prohibits federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”
Following the Supreme Court ruling, Rice told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, “To me, this is all about protecting the Constitution and everyone’s right to vote.” …
Former OHA chairman and state Sen. Clayton Hee had known Rice from their cattle roping days when they found themselves on opposite sides of Rice v. Cayetano.
Hee, as OHA chairman, was in Washington, D.C., waiting for the Supreme Court’s decision when Rice woke him up with a 4:30 a.m. phone call.
“He didn’t call me to stick it in my ribs,” Hee said. “He called me friend-to-friend … not as an enemy. He said, ‘I just want to let you know I got word that I won.’ I said, ‘Freddy, you and I are good friends, many years. I just don’t know if I have it in me to congratulate you.’ But Freddy was right. Technically he won, but quite frankly everybody won. The Constitution prevailed and OHA is better for it. The process by which everyone is afforded that privilege (to vote for OHA elections) has made the office stronger constitutionally. It never affected our friendship.”…
Public graveside services are scheduled for 4 to 5 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Makawao Cemetery on Maui. A celebration of life is scheduled for 4 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Pukalani Stables in Waimea….
Related: Why Freddy Rice Went to Court
read … Big Isle rancher’s legacy is more than landmark lawsuit
Star-Adv: Fire Miyagi
SA: …HI-EMA has become its own worst enemy — having in 38 minutes, between alarm and retraction, eroded its credibility with the public as a trustworthy source in the event of disaster or attack. Three minutes after the 8:07 a.m. issuance, it was confirmed to be a drill gone wrong, and Oahu police and others started spreading that word; the counties did a laudable job in maintaining professionalism. Due to protocol gaps, though, HI-EMA’s official “false alarm” alert didn’t come until 8:45 a.m., and even that dissemination was spotty.
This botched episode deserves the stern scrutiny of the Federal Communications Commission, which has opened a “full investigation” into Hawaii’s emergency notification system. State legislators also are holding a Friday hearing into the situation.
This is not a mere oops that deserves shielding, let alone from HI-EMA administrator Vern Miyagi, the bungler’s boss, who made this weak attempt-to-downplay when asked about consequences: “You gotta know this guy feels bad, right?”
Lame. Unacceptable. Tell that to the man hustling his loved ones down a manhole in hopes of protection from a “this is not a drill” missile. To the many crying, terrified kids at activities who were corralled to safety, some separated from parents. To the many tourists here, hunkered and tweeting final farewells to loved ones back home, believing they could die.
Simply but profoundly, HI-EMA holds responsibility for widespread life or death. There are no second guesses here, there are no second chances. This is not about thirst for blame; it is about the imperative for accountability and trust. Miyagi in a Saturday news conference did apologize and take responsibility, but his attempt to deflect staff culpability as a “personnel” matter was laughable if it all wasn’t so serious; Miyagi and “this guy” on the button have lost public confidence to remain on the public payroll….
Related:
read … False alert reveals frightening gaps
Ige Admin: Nobody will be Fired
CB: …The employee who accidentally triggered an alert of a nuclear ballistic threat across Hawaii on Saturday has been temporarily reassigned (pending appointment to a Judgeship, or UH Trusteeship, or a Legislative vacancy?), state officials said Sunday.
The employee, who officials say was using a computer program during a shift change drill and clicked through a warning prompt, has been reassigned within the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, said agency spokesman Richard Rapoza.
The organization will make a long-term decision on his status after a review, Rapoza said.….
(We expect you all will forget and we can quietly keep him on as the model HGEA member.)
“It’s a human error. There is a screen that says, ‘are you sure you want to do this?’ That’s already in place,” Miyagi explained Saturday. “That thing was pushed anyway.”….
KHON: HI-EMA Pretends to Investigate
read … HGEA Never Any Consequences
HIEMA Employees Receive Death Threats
SA: The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission issued a stinging rebuke Sunday to Hawaii’s emergency management as ripples from Saturday’s nuclear scare spread far and wide.
And the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency confirmed Sunday that some staff members have received death threats in the aftermath of the colossal blunder.
Hawaii residents and tourists spent a terrifying 38 minutes Saturday thinking that an attack was imminent all because a state employee in a Diamond Head bunker clicked his mouse twice….
So far, HI-EMA has reassigned the employee who made the mistake.
“He’ll still come to work; he just won’t be doing the same job,” said Richard Rapoza, the agency’s public information officer. “The reassignment was done pretty quickly. We know that he didn’t do it on purpose and that he made a mistake.”
Rapoza said the agency also has implemented a new protocol that will require two people to send missile alerts.
“One person will make the selection off the menu, and a second person will respond to the ‘Are you sure’ confirmation,” he said. “That confirmation message was there before, but it now requires two separate people.”
Rapoza said the department also has confirmed with the Federal Emergency Management Agency that it can use the agency’s alert system to notify the public so that it “now has a process to immediately retract a false message if necessary.”
Related: FEMA: Ige, Miyagi Wrong About 38 Minute Delay
read … U.S. officials demand answers in wake of nuclear scare
Missile Alert was Choice from Drop-Down Menu on Computer Screen
WaPo: …Around 8:05 a.m., the Hawaii emergency employee initiated the internal test, according to a timeline released by the state. From a drop-down menu on a computer program, he saw two options: “Test missile alert” and “Missile alert.” He was supposed to choose the former; as much of the world now knows, he chose the latter, an initiation of a real-life missile alert.
“In this case, the operator selected the wrong menu option,” HEMA spokesman Richard Rapoza told The Washington Post on Sunday….
read … The Washington Post
Waikiki 1,000 drug arrests in 6 Months at Two Intersections – Could Lose Military Business
SA: …The notice states that the disciplinary board estimates that during the past six months there have been more than 1,000 violent drug- and alcohol-related arrests in the vicinity of the intersection of Kalakaua and Royal Hawaiian avenues and the intersection of Kapahulu and Kalakaua avenues. (This must keep Hawaii judges busy with recycling.)
The notice mentions the death of a Marine, referring to William H. Brown, a 23-year-old Kaneohe-based sergeant who was stabbed multiple times Oct. 21. The incident happened at about 1 a.m. at the corner of Royal Hawaiian and Kalakaua avenues when a verbal exchange escalated into an altercation.
“The intent is to better inform chains of command, military members and their families of high risk areas while the AFDCB determines whether certain establishments and locations should be recommended for off limits designations pursuant to Federal and Department of Defense regulations,” the notice said.
Military members who visit off-limits establishments may be punished under the Uniform Code of Military Justice….
Young military members were lined up Friday waiting to get into Moose McGillycuddy’s and other Waikiki establishments. They are a major part of Waikiki’s late-night economy…
read … Military warning termed ‘wake-up call’ for Waikiki
Kauai to Clear Homeless from Bus Stops?
KGI: …Kauai County is looking to adopt new rules for county bus stops.
The proposed rules state that county bus stops will be closed for use between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m.; that alcohol, drugs and cigarettes, including e-cigs, will be prohibited at county bus stops; that no structures will be erected within the bus stop or adjacent to the bus stop; and no person will occupy a bus stop in a way that inhibits full use by the public.
A person who is convicted of breaking these rules could be fined $100 or more, imprisoned for a period not exceeding 10 days, or both….
read … County eyes new rules for bus stops
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