Hawaii false missile alarm

[kdonnel]

I won’t be cancelling my Aulani travel plans, but I will be packing a few items I might not have packed a few months ago.

Your suitcase will be heavy with 14 days of food and water for each family member.

116 pounds of water per person plus the food, might be a bit over your baggage limit.

I doubt Disney or any of the hotels have 14 days of food and water on hand for their guests. Tourists will all just die.

I will make my way outside and watch the big boom from the ocean.

 

[HopperFan]

From what I have been reading, it sounds like a lot of folks were not prepared, had the alert been genuine.

I won’t be cancelling my Aulani travel plans, but I will be packing a few items I might not have packed a few months ago. We do have a “go-box” in our basement (something I started maintaining when we lived in the greater DC area) and I think for some trips to the US from now on we’ll be including a paired down version - a “go backpack” if you will.

And if for some godforsaken reason the alarms go off while we are there I am sure as heck not evacuating to a field.

I do think this has put a reality to traveling to Hawaii. It has always been on the bucket list (well I want to do the cruise) but at this point, it is way way down the list. This "mistake" is likely going to impact tourism. It's an isolated place, if something happens, there is no escape and based on all news reports they are in no way prepared for anything like this ... if you even can be. If something happens, and you survive ... you are likely trapped on limited resource islands.

Okay, now that was quite the bummer to think about ............... gotta go to the Kroger and build my basement pantry.

 

[lorenni]

Your suitcase will be heavy with 14 days of food and water for each family member.

116 pounds of water per person plus the food, might be a bit over your baggage limit.

I doubt Disney or any of the hotels have 14 days of food and water on hand for their guests. Tourists will all just die.

I will make my way outside and watch the big boom from the ocean.

So you apparently do not have a go-box. Or a go-bag. Or have any real idea what one would put in a go-bag. But thanks for the super helpful sarcasm. Always appreciated here on the DIS.

I do agree to some extent that Hawaii is small enough and isolated enough that in the event of true act of war, everyone there is toast eventually - tourist or otherwise. Prepared or not.

FEMA recommends that every single person in the US have some level of go-box put together. For hurricanes, for earthquakes (Boston is due for a big earthquake and much of downtown was built on landfill since the last earthquake - south end real estate anyone?), blizzards or man made disasters. It’s not just for dooms day preppers - everyone should think about keeping a hand crank charger/radio and good first aid kit handy.

 

[Midoria]

You

You can turn off weather alerts and in many states Amber alerts too.

You can NOT turn off messages like these from FEMA and federal agencies. That 'law ' was passed several years ago.

I’m not sure about that because my phone didn’t give me the alert.

 

[MolonLabe]

Your suitcase will be heavy with 14 days of food and water for each family member.

116 pounds of water per person plus the food, might be a bit over your baggage limit.

I doubt Disney or any of the hotels have 14 days of food and water on hand for their guests. Tourists will all just die.

I will make my way outside and watch the big boom from the ocean.

Items for making it at home and for "on the go" are two very different things.

3 minutes, 3 days, 3 weeks. Air, Water, Food. Those are maximums and greatly reduced with exertion.

I don't travel without having a few lightweight items in my bag just in case.

Water- Sawyer mini water filter, under 20 bucks with 100,000 gallon capacity and weights 2 ounces- http://amzn.to/2DuKvJF
Depending I also include a Steripen in my bag which takes care of the remaining virus concerns and when combined with the above make virtually anything safe to drink, it comes in at 3.2 ounces- http://amzn.to/2D1seCO

Under 6 ounces gets me enough water to drink for myself and the entire family for a very, very long time. Unless I'm in the desert or only have access to salt water, lol.

I usually don't travel with food beyond what I'd normally eat, like Kind bars. However on our cruise last year, in addition to the Sawyer and Steripen, I added one pack of S.O.S. emergency rations into each of our bags. They aren't very tasty but one 4 pound package is 3,600 calories (300 calories per square) and that's 3 days worth of food for one person. Rated for 5 year shelf life under any temperature conditions. http://amzn.to/2AYZuc9

Our cruise last year highlight the dangers of cruising especially and I seriously doubt I'll ever do one again. Kind of a shame, My wife and I cruised extensively in the late 90's. It's simply not worth it anymore when all the risks are considered.


Survival situations like those also highlight the fact that you are your own security guard, no one cares more about your life than you do and no one is around you more than yourself. I may be willing to forgo disarming myself while in a themepark but I'm still not more than a hike away from my vehicle (or rental if I flew) to arm myself and wife.

It isn't the first hour or three of a disaster that are the issue for most people vacationing, it's the aftermath as mothers and fathers look at their injured/starving children and go from fun loving accountants, travel agents and doctors and turn into people who would do *anything* to get their child their next meal or to what they perceive to be a better place. This obviously applies to folks who have no extra food or water in their own homes as well.

I don't think anyone should necessarily curtail their vacations or life based on what-ifs and, aside from cruises, there isn't any trip we won't take right now. I do think taking a few reasonable steps to help ensure your survival is the smart thing to do.

 

[MolonLabe]

I’m not sure about that because my phone didn’t give me the alert.

Were you inside the alert area? It also Depends on how old your phone is, I want to say the no opt out law was passed during Obamas last year in office. I just recall it was within the past couple of years.
Here is the system- https://www.ready.gov/alerts

 

[corgi_monster]

I’m not sure about that because my phone didn’t give me the alert.

The alert didn't go out on some carriers which is one of the reasons why the FCC is stepping in with their own investigation.

For anyone visiting Hawaii please read the following info regarding what to do in a nuclear attack: https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/files/2017/08/HI-EMA-BMD-Question-and-Answer-SEP-2017.pdf

While I still think the odds of this ever happening are very, very slim, it doesn't hurt to take two minutes and learn the basics.

 

[kdonnel]

So you apparently do not have a go-box. Or a go-bag. Or have any real idea what one would put in a go-bag. But thanks for the super helpful sarcasm. Always appreciated here on the DIS.

I do agree to some extent that Hawaii is small enough and isolated enough that in the event of true act of war, everyone there is toast eventually - tourist or otherwise. Prepared or not.

FEMA recommends that every single person in the US have some level of go-box put together. For hurricanes, for earthquakes (Boston is due for a big earthquake and much of downtown was built on landfill since the last earthquake - south end real estate anyone?), blizzards or man made disasters. It’s not just for dooms day preppers - everyone should think about keeping a hand crank charger/radio and good first aid kit handy.

Certainly you can be prepared for other incidents even when traveling and I never said otherwise.

When I fly I make sure that everyone in my family has a flashlight for both the flight and use at the hotel. You never know when the lights will go out like they did at the Atlanta airport and the emergency lights didn’t work at all.

What we are discussing is being prepared for a nuclear strike while on vacation. As a tourist the only solution is to go watch the big bang.

The guidelines call for staying in place for 14 days after an attack with enough food and water. There is no way for a tourist to be prepared for a nuclear attack.

In that situation I would rather my family and I die in the first wave of deaths.

 

[MolonLabe]

Certainly you can be prepared for other incidents even when traveling and I never said otherwise.

When I fly I make sure that everyone in my family has a flashlight for both the flight and use at the hotel. You never know when the lights will go out like they did at the Atlanta airport and the emergency lights didn’t work at all.

What we are discussing is being prepared for a nuclear strike while on vacation. As a tourist the only solution is to go watch the big bang.

The guidelines call for staying in place for 14 days after an attack with enough food and water. There is no way for a tourist to be prepared for a nuclear attack.

In that situation I would rather my family and I die in the first wave of deaths.

Where did the nuclear part come in? A "ballistic missile" can carry anything from a conventional payload to a NBC load.

Chances are it'd be coming from NK and they have a horrible track record of getting virtually any thing right. That they could first successfully launch a missile with the range to hit Hawaii and then actually hit one of the islands and then have a successful detonation would a trifecta that isn't likely. What is more likely is a blast taking out a few city blocks with no real fallout.

I think the point of being prepared is for any disaster, be is a conventional ballistic missile to a more realistic volcanic eruption.

Also I think you've watched too many movies if you think being inside the Aluani is going to offer you any more (or less) protection than walking out to the beach in the event of an actual and successful nuclear attack. Walking out a 100 yards to the beach will only help you in one way, and that's in going blind, lol.

 

[kdonnel]

Where did the nuclear part come in? A "ballistic missile" can carry anything from a conventional payload to a NBC load.

Chances are it'd be coming from NK and they have a horrible track record of getting virtually any thing right. That they could first successfully launch a missile with the range to hit Hawaii and then actually hit one of the islands and then have a successful detonation would a trifecta that isn't likely. What is more likely is a blast taking out a few city blocks with no real fallout.

I think the point of being prepared is for any disaster, be is a conventional ballistic missile to a more realistic volcanic eruption.

Also I think you've watched too many movies if you think being inside the Aluani is going to offer you any more (or less) protection than walking out to the beach in the event of an actual and successful nuclear attack. Walking out a 100 yards to the beach will only help you in one way, and that's in going blind, lol.

Is there anyone on Hawaii who didn’t think it was a nuclear attack? Is there anyone who doesn’t think that a missile launched by North Korea towards the US would be anything but nuclear? What would be the point of launching a conventional weapon? The nuclear risk is why people panicked.

My point is there is NO way for a tourist to be prepared for a nuclear attack.

 

[MolonLabe]

Is there anyone on Hawaii who didn’t think it was a nuclear attack?

I can't and won't assume to speak for every single person on every one of the Hawaiian Islands. You seem to be hung up on a total nuclear holocaust being the only possible situation that is possible in Hawaii and clearly other posters, including myself, don't agree.

 

[kdonnel]

I can't and won't assume to speak for every single person on every one of the Hawaiian Islands. You seem to be hung up on a total nuclear holocaust being the only possible situation that is possible in Hawaii and clearly other posters, including myself, don't agree.

I would imagine 90% or more people’s thoughts went straight to a nuclear attack from North Korea.

 

[missbrooke06]

But if I bring my go bag, where will I put my metal bat?

 

[amym2]

I will not let this situation affect my desire or plans (no current plans but always dreaming of going back) to go to Hawaii. I don't agree that it will hamper tourism at all, but maybe I'm just naive. My parents have traveled to every continent and never take supplies with them in case of a disaster. I still figure I'm safer in Hawaii than on a weekend trip to Chicago or just about anywhere else!

 

[thedogatemyhomework]

few interesting bits to consider due to the false alarm...

-no mass looting, or other craziness...imagine if it happened in LA or Chicago...
-if it were a nuclear missile, sure hiding in a basement might get you through the blast...but can you stay there for 2-3 weeks (probably more like months)
-why panic...if it hits, most of the world will be joining u in an hour at most, those that don’t will probably wish they did.
-apparently sending the alert is a simple computer icon, but cancelling requires people to actually do stuff that takes 30+ minutes.
-pack a go bag...but where would you go...oahu isn’t very big, and no matter where you are the odds of making it to a plane or boat in time are almost non existant...and in the case of a boat...odds of getting far enough away...none.
-tourists aren’t the only ones screwed...they actually have a better chance

 

[jerseygal]

Either Saturday or Sunday, I heard the "tail end" of the national news, either CNN or Fox News, don't remember which one. It was discussed that Aulani resort was NOT PREPARED as staff was quite confused as to protocol and procedure. I imagine that a guest must have called the news station to report their dissatisfaction. Hopefully, Disney is reviewing their safety procedures.

 

[Tigger's ally]

I can't and won't assume to speak for every single person on every one of the Hawaiian Islands. You seem to be hung up on a total nuclear holocaust being the only possible situation that is possible in Hawaii and clearly other posters, including myself, don't agree.

You think it might be the welcome wagon?

 

[Tigger's ally]

Either Saturday or Sunday, I heard the "tail end" of the national news, either CNN or Fox News, don't remember which one. It was discussed that Aulani resort was NOT PREPARED as staff was quite confused as to protocol and procedure. I imagine that a guest must have called the news station to report their dissatisfaction. Hopefully, Disney is reviewing their safety procedures.

Wonder if any hotels in LA or along either coast for that matter have any better plan?

 

[Midoria]

tourists aren’t the only ones screwed...they actually have a better chance

I think in terms of initial survival since most houses in Hawaii don't have basements and hotels do, it's possible tourists will do better in that regard. But what happens after that? Especially in an isolated place like Aulani. I'm sure that any resort staff that can run back to their families will do so leaving tourists to organize for themselves. You could raid the restaurants and kitchens for food, but that's not going to be 2-3 weeks worth for hundreds of people. Those who have useable cars may be out of Ko'olina to a grocery store, locals will have gotten there first. Locals will also band together and pool resources. I can't see any of them spending precious resources with tourists.

 

[kdonnel]

I see Walmart also fell back to treating it like a fire alarm. They forced customers out of the stores and locked the doors.

They have issued an apology and said they are reviewing procedures.

A 24 Hour Fitness also kicked everyone out and a U-Haul location refused to let a mother and daughter seek shelter at their location.

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/...e-death-threats-following-false-missile-alert