BC emergency administrators have issued emergency alerts this summer, with notifications on forest fires and a possible Tsunami.
But some want them to have better tools at their disposal.
Emergency alerts are the responsibility of local governments and the first nations.
When there is an immediate threat to life, and there is information that could help save lives (that is, evacuation orders), local governments can ask the provincial government to send an “transmission intrusion” alert through the BC emergency alert system.
That means that an alarm sound and a short message is transmitted on television and radio, and on cell phones that are connected to the local network, in the area that is threatened. (It is likely that people are more familiar with that Ambar alert system, which are sent when a child has been kidnapped and the police have information to share about the person who believes they have kidnapped them).
Local governments do not have the authority to send intrusive transmission alerts.
If you want to notify the residents of an emergency that does not comply with the immediate threat bar of the province for life (for example, the Tsunami notice of July 30), they can share messages on their website and social networks and through news communications.
To share the message more directly, local governments often hire third -party notification systems such as alert alert and voyent.
Through these systems, they can send alerts through telephone applications, as well as emails, text messages and calls to fixed phones, but residents must subscribe first.
That presents a challenge, especially in regions where there are multiple jurisdictions.
In Greater Victoria, for example, there are at least four different systems used by the 13 local governments.
That is precisely the reason why the province should establish a general system, according to Shaun Koopman, emergency services manager in the regional district of Strathcona, based on the island of northern Vancouver.
He is asking the provincial government to hire a company to provide alert systems for both provincial and local governments.
This is the island of VancouverHow a tsunami warning can be a call for attention for emergency preparation of the island
For 12 hours this week, the islanders and BC coastal residents were watching the news of a tsunami. It did not arrive, but it gave us the opportunity to discover the difference between a “clock”, a “warning” and a “warning”, and if we even receive notifications. This week’s episode is updated with what we learned, including that drones can help spread the news to remote areas.
He said that if there were a service provider, people could simply subscribe to the only system and then choose to receive alerts from each jurisdiction in which time spend time, instead of registering for separate alerts for the municipality where they live, in which they work and the others where time can spend.
It would also mean that local governments and the first nations would not have to assume the cost of a notification system.
“It is a default system …[to] Know that each public member and each community at least have that predetermined general coverage, “Koopman said.
Tarina Colledge, president of the BC Emergency Managers Association, said that having both local governments and the province using the same alert system would also help ensure that everyone receives urgent alerts at once, even those who do not watch television or radio or are not in the range of cells.
“Then, an intrusive transmission alert would be replicated for things like email, text message … a landline,” he said.
She says that would help in rural communities and for older adults who only have fixed lines. It would mean that people would automatically receive an alert in the way that works best for them.
But Erin Stockill, an emergency programs officer of the Saanich district in Greater Victoria, said the current system works well for its municipality, because it depends more on the proximity to the existing emergency, and less on people who have to subscribe intentionally.
“There is no guarantee that someone who is signed is very close to danger. Therefore, this intrusive transmission system guarantees the speed and effectiveness for people who need to know are aware,” said Stockill.
The BC Emergency Management Ministry and climatic preparation did not answer CBC’s question directly about whether it has considered hiring a single service provider, but said in a statement that after each emergency event, “reviews the event and the actions taken to help determine where improvements can be made.”
That includes tsunamis, earthquakes, forest fires, floods or other hazards.
