HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii is the first state to prepare the public for the possibility of a ballistic missile threat from North Korea.
The state’s Emergency Management Agency on Friday announced a public education campaign. Agency Administrator Vern Miyagi says because it would take a missile about 15 minutes to arrive, there won’t be much time to prepare. He says that’s why instructions are simple: “Get inside, stay inside and stay tuned.”
Starting in November, Hawaii will begin monthly tests of an “attack alert” siren the state hasn’t heard since the end of the Cold War in the 1980s.
Hawaii tourism officials say they are concerned misinformation about the state’s efforts may deter travelers. Miyagi says his agency is just trying to stay ahead of a “very unlikely” possible threat.
JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
