EDMONTON — Residents of Alberta are advised not to be alarmed when their phones, radios, and televisions issue an emergency alert this Wednesday afternoon. The provincial government has announced that a test of the Emergency Alert System is scheduled for 1:55 PM tomorrow.
“This is only a test, but it is also a reminder to be ready for any real emergency,” the provincial government posted on social media.
Kurt Eby, Director of Regulatory Affairs for Alert Ready, confirmed that the message will be broadcast across radio, television, and wireless devices in both French and English.
The ‘Alert Ready’ system is designed to provide critical, life-saving warnings during a variety of emergency situations. This includes natural disasters such as wildfires, environmental threats, tornadoes, earthquakes, and floods, as well as civil emergencies and Amber Alerts for missing children.
The system is tested twice annually across Canada, typically in May and November. Alert Ready was developed collaboratively by federal, provincial, and territorial emergency management officials, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the broadcasting industry to ensure its effectiveness in critical moments.
