Hawaii congressional delegation pushes military to take over missile alerts

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Members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation told Rear Adm. Patrick A. Piercey, US Pacific Command director of operations, that they want the military to take responsibility for alerting the public about any incoming ballistic missile which would be an act of war. “We want the origination of a notification of a missile alert to start with people who know,” said Sen Brian Schatz (D-HI). Rep Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) said there are too many layers for notification and verification that would be improved if United States Pacific Command (PACOM), which has verification responsibility, also sent out the alert from a drop-down computer menu. Rear Adm. Piercey said PACOM continues to work with Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA), although notification exercises have temporarily paused. Piercey’s only response to lawmakers calls to remove HI-EMA from the process was that existing agencies currently have those responsibilities.


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