Alberta emergency system goes digital

The province has turned to digital media to improve the way Albertans receive emergency warnings.

The new alert system includes a dedicated website and the use of social media such as Facebook or Twitter, the province said in a news release on Tuesday.

Critical alerts will still be broadcast on radio and television if life-threatening danger such as a tornado is imminent, and communities will be able to use enhanced alerts as part of local emergency preparedness, Municipal Affairs Minister Hector Goudreau said.

The first province-wide test of the new system is scheduled for mid-September.

"This system depends on partnerships to help get life-saving information to Albertans," Goudreau said. "Government has developed this enhanced alert system as one tool for communities and organizations to use as part of their local emergency preparedness plan."

Phased implementation of the new system began on June 28, and more than 650 people from approximately 200 communities and organizations have been trained, the government said.

Thirty-six media distributors have begun using the new system to broadcast alerts. A public education campaign began Aug. 1, to encourage Albertans to visit the new website and join the Facebook and Twitter pages. 

The first alerts on the new system were broadcast on July 7, and 11 critical and information alerts have been issued to date throughout the province.