Emergency official resigned in wake of missile alert

HONOLULU — The second official who resigned in the wake of a mistaken missile alert is the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency’s former executive director.

Last week, Toby Clairmont said his retirement at the end of the year had nothing to do with the alert. However, on Wednesday he said he has resigned and will move to the mainland to retire.

Clairmont says he left because it was clear would be taken against agency leaders after the Jan. 13 alert warning of an inbound missile caused panic.

Agency administrator Vern Miyagi resigned, and officials say the man who sent the alert was fired. Officials say another employee resigned and another was being suspended.

Clairmont says it’s unfair to lump his resignation with those others because it implies he was about to be disciplined.