Schatz To Lead Field Hearing On False Missile Alert

US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) will convene a Senate field hearing in Honolulu on the state’s emergency alert system to look into the false emergency missile alert that went out across the state on Jan. 13, 2018.

Maui Now graphic.

Sen. Schatz, who serves as the lead Democrat on the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet said the false alert caused “widespread panic.”

“For the state to fix this system, we need to understand what happened, and then gather the state and federal resources needed to make this right,” Senator Schatz said. “This hearing is an important step on the road to regaining the public’s trust.”

Sen. Schatz will soon announce more details on the hearing including the date, location, and witnesses who are being invited to testify.

The Honolulu field hearing will follow a similar one set for this Thursday, Jan. 25 in the US Capitol. The Washington, DC hearing will focus on the effectiveness of the Emergency Alert System, including Wireless Emergency Alerts.