Don’t be alarmed: this is just a drill.
On Wednesday, May 8 at 1:55 p.m., another round of emergency alert testing will come to radio and TV stations, as well as to some cellphones.
Woman using smartphone/Shutterstock
The test is part of a national system called Alert Ready. The province says the system will be used only during large-scale disasters or emergencies where loss of life is imminent and possible.
During the test, the public will see or hear the following message:
“This is a TEST of the British Columbia Emergency Alerting System, issued by Emergency Management British Columbia. This is ONLY a TEST. If this had been an actual emergency or threat, you would now hear instructions that would assist you to protect you and your family. For further information go to www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca. This is ONLY a TEST, no action is required.”
When the system was tested on cellphones last year, many mobile device users did not receive the alert. This time around, however, the province says the test will only be received by “compatible devices,” which includes smartphones that use an LTE or 4G network, has up to date software, is connected to an LTE network when the alert is issued and is within the emergency alert area.
Cellphone users can see if their device is compatible through Alert Ready.
This test is part of Emergency Preparedness Week. The focus of this year’s Emergency Preparedness Week is to know hazards in local areas, make a plan to keep focused and safe in an emergency and to build an emergency kit.
“The best way to keep safe in the event of an emergency is to ensure your household is ready in advance," said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General in a press release.
"PreparedBC has the resources British Columbians need to get started on making plans that will help them cope through the initial stages of any emergency."
