Hawai'i Cancels September's Siren and Emergency Alert System Test

Multimedia Journalist

The Hawai'i Emergency Management Agency have canceled the Siren and Emergency Alert system Test for September.

HONOLULU (KITV4) – After the fires on Maui, public officials from the Hawai'i Emergency Management Agency (HiEMA) canceled the siren and emergency alert system test for September. The siren and emergency alert system was supposed to be tested on Friday, September 1st.

Many residents were left feeling on edge after sirens went off this weekend for a brushfire in Kaanapali on Maui. This was following the wildfire in Lahaina just weeks ago, where the sirens did not go off then.

Before, public officials sounded the sirens to warn the public of Tsunamis. After what happened earlier this month in Lahaina, it left people wondering if it should be used for other emergencies, including wildfires.

“The siren is a stimulus of attention, alert that responds to, in regards to what we do and we should listen to local authorities and the media, whatever that needs for you to know what the instructions are. And the sirens only reflect that,” said Harry Kim, former Big Island Mayor and former head of Hawai’i County Civil Defense.

Kim said in his past experiences, the public always put blame on the sirens, in regards to why or why not it was used and who set it off. He said when we put our energy into pointing blame, we fail to identify the real problem and how to do better the next time.

Public officials from HiEMA say that the original plan of siren testing would have been within 15 minutes of a planned worldwide prayer and remembrance for those killed or missing in the Maui Wildfires, so out of concern and recognition that sounding the sirens could disrupt the observance and cause distress they have canceled the tests.

“It'll create an atmosphere of, to put it this way, it'll be less confusing for the public and probably resolve in some unwanted consequences. So again canceling the siren testing for the first work day of the month, I think is a good idea,” said Edward Teixeira, Former Vice Director of State Civil Defense.

The monthly siren and emergency alert system test will resume on Monday, October 2nd.

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Two more people who died in the Lahaina fire have now been identified. The death toll remains at 115.

Multimedia Journalist