HONOLULU — Hawaii disaster response officials say they are trying to figure out which cellphones didn’t receive an alert an employee mistakenly sent warning of a missile attack.
Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Operations Chief Victor Gustafson told state lawmakers on Wednesday the Federal Communications Commission doesn’t allow tests of the Wireless Emergency Alert system.
Gustafson says his agency has talked to the FCC about how it could, without sending test alerts, find out why some cellphones didn’t receive the mistaken alert on Jan. 13. He says it’s a work in progress.
State Rep. Andria Tupola asked him whether the state could ask people directly. The Republican representing Nanakuli and Ko Olina says she’ll ask on social media. She says it won’t be a scientific poll but will be a start.