Nationwide emergency alert test set for Wednesday

Alert Ready emergency alert system

Canadians can expect their phones, radios and televisions to sound an alarm on Wednesday as officials conduct a routine test of the Alert Ready emergency alerting system.

The test is scheduled for 12:55 p.m. EST.

Alert Ready is Canada’s national public emergency warning system, designed to quickly notify the public of threats to life, including tornadoes, floods, wildfire evacuations, civil emergencies, Amber Alerts and other urgent situations.

When activated, the system overrides devices to deliver a loud, distinct tone followed by an emergency message.

Because it is only a test, no action is required from the public.

More information on how the system works can be found at alertready.ca.