The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) is introducing a new Evacuation Notification System (ENS) powered by Voyent Alert! to keep residents and property owners informed in case of evacuation orders or alerts during critical events such as wildfires, floods or hazardous materials incidents.

“The notification system will only be used for evacuation alerts or orders and has been implemented as an additional tool to help us get the word out as quickly as possible to affected areas when time is of the essence,” explains RDEK Communications Manager Loree Duczek. “People have to register to receive notifications and can add as many locations in the East Kootenay as they would like. Once they have registered at least one location, they can choose to receive notifications via text or phone. There is also an app that can be downloaded to smartphones.”

To receive notifications via text or phone, registration is available online here. Choose “My Locations” from the menu to add locations. For those who use a smart phone, the Voyent Alert! app can also be downloaded from the Apple App or Google Play stores.

“This service is available to all residents and property owners in the East Kootenay. Whether you live in a municipality, a rural area, or you own a second home here, you will receive a notification if you have subscribed and there is an evacuation alert or order affecting your chosen locations,” says Duczek.

“The introduction of ENS gives us one more tool in our regional emergency communications toolkit. Over the past two years, we have seen how long it can take to complete the notification process when a large area is affected, so we are excited to have this new option available,” says RDEK Board Chair Rob Gay.

If people want general information on emergencies, they should still sign up for one of the RDEK’s email groups, follow its Facebook page or other social media, rely on local media or their municipal information sources.