After January’s false nuclear missile alert caused widespread panic across the state, Hawaii’s visitor industry leaders want to ensure its hotels and their employees know what to do in the event of a real threat.
The Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association (HLTA) and the Hawaii Hotel Visitor Industry Security Association (HHVISA) hosted an emergency management workshop today in Waikiki, where security experts outlined plans and critical steps hotels can implement when faced with a potential nuclear missile attack. “I think we’re pretty good in dealing with tsunamis, hurricanes, and storms, but this is a new phenomenon that we’re dealing with,” said Mufi Hannemann, HLTA’s President and CEO.
Jerry Dolak, Director of Security & Safety for Outrigger Hotels and President of HHVISA, says there was a nuclear attack emergency plan for hotels before the Jan. 13 false alert took place, but he says it was up to the hotels to read and practice the plan.