Manitoba testing emergency alert system on Wednesday

A young person uses a smart phone in Chicago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP

The Manitoba government is set to test its emergency alert system on Wednesday afternoon.

According to a news release, the province has scheduled a test of Alert Ready – the national public alerting system – for Nov. 19 at 1:55 p.m.

Though the alert will be sent to televisions, radios and other compatible wireless devices, it will not go to every cellphone due to device compatibility, cell tower coverage, and connection to an LTE network.

With this test, Manitoba said it is ensuring the system will work efficiently during an actual emergency. It adds the tests also help to show Manitobans what to expect in the event of a real emergency.