01/14/2018 – On Saturday, the state of Hawaii instructed people to take shelter in anticipation of a missile attack. The alert, which was later called a “mistake” sent people into a panic.
Tim and Patty Rich, an Owasso couple who own all local McDonald’s Restaurants, are currently vacationing in Kauai, Hawaii.
We spoke with Patty yesterday, and she tells us that it was more confusion than panic at their hotel when the alarm sounded:
“Well no panic just confusion- we were all in our rooms it was like 8:30 am. Seriously just stayed in our room until the alert said it was false- I did go out to the balcony and stare at the Ocean thinking “what if it’s true” not sure I ever thought that would be how I would go. I sat down at the TV and tried but was unsuccessful to get any news- the stations were all showing basketball-ball games . We finally got the all clear. After thought and much the sentiment of others “what can you do we are on a small island”(Kauai) and closest to Korea? Then we resumed our vacation- much more aware of our mortality.
The first text alert clearly stated “THIS IS NOT A DRILL.” It was a long 39 minutes later that the second text came, stating it was actually a false alarm.
About 5 minutes after we found out, Tim went to find his shoes and I walked in and said “We need to pray” we did and I honestly never felt fear- it is amazing when God shows up. I am not sure if it was a mistake or not. It rattled most people- we were told to keep our ID on our person– I stopped a family coming back from the Lobby and they said that’s what they had been told and then to wait in Lobby. We (4 of us) decided to wait it out in our room. Crazy crazy morning
