Against the backdrop of rising nuclear tensions, Washington lawmakers are looking to overturn a 34-year-old law that bars the state from putting into place preparation plans for a nuclear attack.
The law was passed in 1984 as a symbolic measure for putting Cold War-era animosity to rest, but some state legislators now note that there’s little sense in pledging to be unprepared.
Sen. Mark Schoesler stated that such “sort of symbolism just isn’t necessary”, noting that the country must be ready for any disaster, calling it “common sense” .
Ninth Legislative District Rep. Mary Dye highlighted the measure had been appropriate for early ’80s, adding that now the country was facing “another despot and tyrant” who is determined to “build a long range successful nuclear weapon”, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Necessary To Have A Safety System In Case of Emergencies
According to Schoesler having the necessary infrastructure could save lives and prevent a breakdown in communications. He stated while false alarms are rare, establishing a procedure will minimize the chances of it occurring, in a reference to the recent misplaced mass emergency alert sent in Hawaii.
Bill Tensfeld, director of Whitman County Emergency Management, has said that Whitman County currently has a countywide emergency alert system but residents need sign up online to receive messages.
He added that even those who don’t sign up still receive messages for national and regional emergencies, such as Amber Alerts, since these are sent directly through cell towers by a separate agency. Tensfeld noted that the county still doesn’t have facility for sending automatic messages to residents who don’t sign up, but such a system is being planned.
Alert Messages Sent After Verification
In Tensfield’s opinion, catastrophes that could affect Whitman County could be a chemical spill or a large earthquake, noting that the region has typically been spared of real disasters.
He highlighted that the current software itself double checks with the person drafting the message before sending out the message. In case of a disaster, alerts are likely to be sent minutes after his department verifies the authenticity of the event. However Tensfeld noted there are no procedures currently available at the county level for handling a false alarm.
He added that while Whitman County is a relatively safe place, its better be prepared and sign up for the alerts.
