VICTORIA, B.C- British Columbians should watch their cellphones this Wednesday.
On November 28th, at 1:55 p.m. Pacific time, a second wireless test will go across the province as part of nationwide emergency tests on cellphone networks.
“Last spring, we launched wireless alerting in B.C. to broaden our reach and ensure more people have access to critical and possibly life-saving information in the event of an emergency or disaster,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and Minister Responsible for Emergency Preparedness, in a statement.
“Regular testing of emergency systems is an important part of ensuring this province is ready in the event of an emergency by identifying any gaps and making certain processes are working correctly. Next week’s test will do just that, allowing people to ensure their devices are compatible and also raising awareness about the importance of emergency preparedness.”
Residents are encouraged to go to alertready.ca and ensure their devices are compatible with the alert, and make sure they’re connected to an LTE network when the alert is issued. Updating devices with the latest cellular software is also encouraged.
“It’s also important to note that this is not the only way British Columbians can receive emergency alerts,” said Farnworth.
“The emergency alerts will be issued to compatible wireless devices, such as smartphones, alongside routine television and radio tests. They are intended to complement, not replace, emergency alerting processes already in place. Wireless alerts will build on other alert tools in B.C. such as the Provincial Emergency Notification System, social media, and in a number of communities, subscription text alerts, sirens and other alerting mechanisms.”
The new text function was first tested in May, with many Canadians claiming they never received it.
