Hawaii
is set to become the first state in the US to test an "attack- warning"
system in the event of a North Korean nuclear missile strike.
Starting in November, Hawaii's disaster warning plan will include a new protocol in case of a nuclear attack, CNN affiliate KNHL reports. But some are concerned the announcement will scare off tourists from visiting the island.
A
"guidance summary" from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency says
residents will be alerted of nuclear detonation through siren alarms and
flashing white lights. An Emergency Alert System will broadcast over
television and radio frequencies as well.
There
are 4,661 miles of ocean between Hawaii and North Korea, making the
island one of the closest US territories to Kim Jong Un's regime after
Guam and Alaska.
Despite plans for
testing a nuclear warning system, there is no need to panic, Vern
Miyagi, an administrator with the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency,
told the affiliate.
"When
I see stuff like, 'Hawaii prepares for nuclear attack,' that's way
overboard. We're not preparing for a nuclear attack," he said. "This is
just a hazard, like tsunamis and hurricanes that Hawaii faces. It's not
impending."
Miyagi added the threat of a nuclear strike is "not mature."
Despite the alert system's label as
"just a hazard," some are wondering why it was announced at the height
of Hawaii's tourist season.
"The
odds are so small right now and the possibility of this happening is so
remote," Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa told the affiliate. "It's not worth
getting everybody into a major economic situation to plan for a major
attack."
Hawaii is a critical
outpost for the US military, hosting naval and air force bases. US
Pacific Command, the military's headquarters for the Asia-Pacific
region, is on the island of Oahu.
While
Hawaii is the first state in the US to prepare for a North Korean
attack, it's not alone on the world stage. Japan implemented a similar alert system
after four North Korean missiles landed off its northwest coast in
March, one landing just over 100 miles from the city of Oga.
Hawaii
Lodging and Tourism Association president Mufi Hanneman told the
affiliate that the system should only make tourists more comfortable
traveling to the island.
"We
certainly have marketed ourselves as one of the safest places to visit
if not in America, in the world," he said. "If I were a visitor, I'd be
pleased to know that Hawaii is taking steps and that I can continue to
go there and feel safe."
In case
of an actual nuclear strike, residents are instructed to go inside and
remain sheltered for 14 days or until they are told it is safe to leave.
While in shelter, residents should listen to local AM-FM radio stations
for official information.
But
despite the possibility of a decline in tourism, Miyagi says it's still
worth testing the new system, even if an attack isn't imminent.
"Probability is low," he said. "But we just want to get ahead of it."
