If North Korea Attacks the U.S., 'There Will Be No Time to Call Our Loved Ones,' Hawaii Official Warns

A state official has informed residents of Hawaii that they should create a plan to keep track of their families in the event of a nuclear attack from North Korea, which is about 4,600 miles away. "There will be no time to call our loved ones, pick up our kids and find a designated shelter," Vern Miyagi, an administrator with the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, told reporters.
As part of its emergency preparedness plan, Hawaii will hold a drill Friday for its new nuclear alarm system. The state will then continue to hold the test on the first business day of each month. The alarm gives residents 15 minutes to prepare before a nuclear bomb hits the island.

The sirens are the latest sign that tensions between North Korea and the U.S. have reached new heights under President Donald Trump. John Kelly, the White House chief of staff, said on October 12 that Americans need to be concerned about North Korean missiles and their ability to reach the U.S. Kelly also said Pyongyang “is developing a pretty good nuclear re-entry vehicle," CNN reported in October.

Trump has taken to calling North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man,” while North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho has called Trump “a mentally deranged person full of megalomania and complacency.” Ri called the “Rocket Man" insult an “irreversible mistake” and said that an attack on the U.S. mainland was “inevitable.”
Hawaiian officials have said they are working to maintain a calm environment in Hawaii while also ensuring residents are prepared for a possible strike. Residents have been told to keep two weeks of provisions at home, just in case. Meanwhile, the University of Hawaii sent an email to students and employees in October with “In the event of a nuclear attack” in the subject line. Commentary on the increasing tensions between North Korea and the U.S. were included in the email's body, The Washington Post reported.
For his part, Miyagi is remaining positive, citing the limited number of missiles Kim has, the distance between Hawaii and North Korea and the fact that “Hawaii is a very tiny target." "If anybody told me four or five months ago we would be doing this I would have said you are crazy," Miyagi said, according to USA Today. "But stuff happens."