A Senate committee will evaluate the Emergency Alert Systems after a recent alarm falsely alerted Hawaiians about an incoming ballistic missile.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, chaired by Sen. John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, explored the system's effectiveness, including its use of wireless alerts.
On Jan. 13, Hawaiians received an early-morning message on phones and television, that read, "BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL."
The message was sent by accident, but was not corrected for nearly 40 minutes.