False Missile Threat in Hawaii
In the wake of the false missile threat mass notification in Hawaii, CentrAlert engineers are urging emergency managers to implement a proper protective action plan to help prevent false alert activations. CentrAlert technology provides Live Alert Protect™, which requires operators to perform an extra step before sending out a live alert.
Last week, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency accidentally sent out a text message that stated the following. “Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill.”
A “Test Alert” Accidentally Reported as a “Live Alert”
The alert went out as a result of an Emergency Management Agency employee who pushed the wrong button, sending out the message as a “live alert” instead of a “test alert,” according to the Washington Post. Eighteen minutes later, an email alert corrected the mistake but another text didn’t go out until 38 minutes after the first, according to the BBC.
Live Alert Protect™ Mitigates False Alert Activations
CentrAlert technology includes Live Alert Protect, a protective action designed to mitigate false alert activations. When an operator initiates a live alert, the preview screen displays the message and produces a unique four-digit code. Before the live alert can be sent, the operator must type in the code. The code is not a password. It appears on the screen, and the operator simply needs to type it in the blank space. Emergency managers can choose to turn Live Alert Protect on or off.
Live Alert Protect does not require the operator to type the code for test alerts. The quick additional step makes the operator extra aware that he or she is about to send a live alert. To learn more about this technology, email CentrAlert or call us: +1 (859) 224-1047.