Do not be alarmed: this is only a test of your emergency broadcast system—or at least it will be this afternoon at 1:55 p.m.
At that time, a biannual test of the national Alert Ready system will take place across broadcast television, radio and wireless devices.
“This testing is designed to assess the system's readiness for an actual emergency and identify any adjustments that need to be made,” said a release from Emergency Management BC.
“A scheduled test in May 2020 was cancelled across Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
During the test, British Columbians will see 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."
Alert Ready is a collaboration between federal-provincial-territorial governments and industry partners, which provides a standard alerting capability to rapidly warn the public of imminent or unfolding hazards.
Not all phones are compatible with the system—head to www.alertready.ca for more information.
British Columbians can also take a short survey after the alert to determine its reach. Find it here.
Find more emergency information at www.preparedbc.ca and www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca.
