You may have heard the test of the Alert Ready system yesterday at 1:55 p.m. on your smartphone or your favorite radio station. And in the future, you may hear it when the local RCMP deems it necessary as well.

Manitoba’s Emergency Management Organization is providing Manitoba RCMP with the training and authority to issue emergency alerts through the Alert Ready system, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor announced this week.

“Working collaboratively with partners in a co-ordinated manner helps foster a safe Manitoba that is resilient in the face of emergencies and disasters,” said Naylor. “In the event of an imminent threat, emergency alerts provide critical instructions to protect individuals and families.”

The RCMP is now able to issue civil emergency alerts and Amber Alerts, noted the minister.

“The ability to issue Alert Ready messages directly from our 24-7 Operational Communications Centre will only enhance our ability to rapidly inform Manitobans of any threat that may affect their safety and security,” said Assistant Commissioner Rob Hill, commanding officer of the Manitoba RCMP. “We have worked closely with the Manitoba government’s Emergency Management Organization to ensure that over 20 employees are trained and able to quickly send critical safety messaging.”

As Canada’s emergency alerting system, Alert Ready delivers critical alerts through TV, radio and compatible wireless devices. A test emergency alert message was broadcast on multiple communication channels earlier this afternoon to improve the end-to-end performance and reliability of the system and ensure it operates as intended, noted Naylor.

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