Governor addresses emergency alert system

TULSA — Many state leaders may be looking into their emergency alert systems after last weekend’s false alarm in Hawaii.

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin on Tuesday said procedures are in place to prevent a false warning here from the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM).

“The safeguards used by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management ensure that when a warning message is issued Oklahomans should indeed begin to take precautions and that it is not a false alarm,” said Fallin.

Hawaii is the only state set up to send cellphone alerts about the threat of an incoming ballistic missile.

Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesman Richard Rapoza says the state has had the capability to send the alerts since November.

On Saturday, the agency mistakenly sent an alert to cellphones with a warning to seek immediate shelter because a ballistic missile was "inbound to Hawaii."