'Kept Telling Her How Much I Loved Her': Coloradans React To False Missile Threat
DENVER (CBS4) – An alert warning those in Hawaii of an imminent missile attack struck fear in many.
Several Coloradans told CBS4 they were caught in the middle of the scare, and believed it to be true at first, before learning it was a false alarm.
The alert, which was sent to smart phones across Hawaii, advised the public to take shelter immediately due to a missile attack. The alert claimed it was not a drill.
"The first thing that went through my mind was, 'this can't be real'. I was shaking," said Hali Flores, a Colorado native who recently moved to Hawaii for work.
"I thought that it was pretty much going to be my last moments," Flores told CBS4's Dillon Thomas.
Flores said she had never contemplated what to do in the case of a real missile attack, sending her in to a panic.
"I was taping protective ceilings over the window, just in case they busted," Flores said. "I was covering people with couch cushions."
Flores said she also took a moment to call her mother, who lives in Colorado. Believing there was a missile coming, Flores wanted to say goodbye to her mother.
"It was just a very emotional conversation that I had with her. I just kept telling her how much I loved her," Flores said.
Around the same time, Katie Ireland of Aurora received a phone call. Ireland's sister-in-law, and her family, were in Hawaii. They reached out to ask for advice as for what to do next.
"I was pretty stone cold, for a while. Then I was sweating it out," Ireland said.
Ireland's family was told by hotel staff in Hawaii to return to their 17th floor bedroom, until further notice.
More than 3,000 miles away, Ireland couldn't physically help. However, she gave advice, including a suggestion to ignore hotel staff, and get low to the ground.
"(I told them to) grab all the water and food you can, and go as low as you can," Ireland said.
Under belief the missile was coming, Ireland had one final request of her family. She had them send her their GPS coordinates, so she could locate them if the missile did hit nearby.
"I was trying to think of anything that could save their lives on the way there, and make it easy to find them," Ireland said.
Within an hour, most would learn the notice was a false alarm, and no missile was headed to Hawaii. Authorities would later say the alert should not have been sent out.
Those CBS4 spoke with say the false alarm taught them a lesson, and even raised some of their concerns.
Ireland said the country should use this as an example of why education should be given on how to respond to a threat. She felt the lack of solid advice, and shock, by those in Hawaii proved nobody knows what to do during a real threat.
"I had a real eye opener today. You really never know when you're going to have your last moments," Flores said. "Cherish your loved ones, hug them."
South Metro Fire in Colorado provided CBS4 with tips as to how one should prepare for any possible threat. They encouraged everyone to always have a 72-hour kit ready. The kid should always have enough basic supplies, like water and food, to last three days.
They also encouraged the public to visit ReadyColorado.com for tips on how to prepare for, survive during and beyond many threats. The website gave tips for how to prepare for, or handle, many life-threatening situations.
Dillon Thomas is a reporter at CBS4 and a Colorado native. He believes everyone has a story, and would love to share yours! You can find more of his stories by following him on Twitter, @DillonMThomas.