Hawaii Releases Redacted Recording of Missile Alert Drill

The state of Hawaii is releasing an audio recording of the drill it was running in January when an employee mistakenly sent cellphone and broadcast alerts warning of a ballistic missile attack.

But the 24-second recording the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency released Thursday is heavily redacted.

It starts with the words “exercise, exercise, exercise,” followed by a prolonged beep, then the phrase “this is not a drill” and another prolonged beep. It ends with “exercise, exercise, exercise.”

Spokesman Lt. Col. Charles Anthony says the redactions are necessary because the Pacific Command would use the same language if it notified the agency of an actual missile threat.

Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest Executive Director Brian Black says it’s troubling that the agency is only releasing portions that support their narrative of what happened.
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