The RDEK will be testing its Regional Evacuation Notification system (ENS) this Friday and is encouraging residents who have not already done so, to sign up.
“The notification system is only 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. The RDEK is urging residents to register this week as they are planning a region-wide test of the system this Friday, May 5 at 11:00am. It is free to register and is available to all First Nations, municipalities, and rural areas of the East Kootenay.
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 is an important tool for residents to have, particularly as we head into the spring and summer, when flooding and wildfire are two hazards we face in the East Kootenay.
“People have to register for the ENS 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,” adds Duczek.
The ENS system is completely separate from the Provincial Alert Ready system and Duczek says it is important for local residents to sign up for the local ENS. “These are two separate systems. They both have unique advantages, which is why we are urging local residents register for the local system.” The Alert Ready system automatically sends an alert to anyone within a specific geographic area with a cellphone and will interrupt radio and tv programming for four hours after the notification is issued. The local ENS system alerts people who’ve registered their property by cellphone or landline; keeps the notification active throughout the course of the evacuation alert or order; and, alerts homeowners who may away or who own property here but live elsewhere. “They are different, but complimentary systems and it is important for people to understand their differences,” stresses Duczek.
For instructions on how to sign up for the service and receive notifications by phone, both to landlines and mobile phones, or via a dedicated app, visit the Emergency Information page on www.rdek.bc.ca.
