This year Emergency Preparedness Week is taking place from May 5 to 11, 2024 with the theme of Be Prepared. Know Your Risks.
Everyone has a role to play in being prepared for an emergency, that’s why it’s important to understand the risks in your area and learn what actions you can take to protect yourself and your family.
As part of EP Week, Alert Ready will be distributing a test alert to Canadians in participating provinces and territories on their television, radio, and compatible wireless devices on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. In Ontario, the alert will sound at 12:55 p.m.
Alert Ready is designed to deliver critical and potentially life-saving alerts to Canadians, including but not limited to tornadoes, flooding, fires and AMBER alerts.
Why is there a test of the Alert Ready System?
Regular testing provides public safety officials with an opportunity to validate and improve the effectiveness and reliability of Alert Ready. Tests ensure that the Alert Ready system operates as intended during an imminent life-threatening situation. Issuing a test alert is at the sole discretion of each provincial and territorial emergency management organization (EMO), however, they are required by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to perform one test alert per year either in May or November.
Who issues alerts via Alert Ready?
Provincial, territorial, and federal public safety authorities are responsible for issuing alerts. However, there is a multi-step process in delivering these alerts to the Canadian public. Each stakeholder plays a unique and vital role in the Alert Ready process.
More information HERE.
Voyent Alert in Muskoka
Emergencies can happen at any time, in any season. This Emergency Preparedness Week, the Muskoka Emergency Response Committee (MERC) is encouraging residents to plan ahead and stay prepared year-round.
As part of this year’s activities, a test of the #AlertMuskoka system, powered by Voyent Alert!, will also take place Friday, May 9, 2025, at 10 a.m. Voyent Alert! provides location-specific notifications during emergencies such as floods, wildfires, severe weather events, and other local crises.
Residents are encouraged to check that your Voyent Alert! app is active and up to date. Residents who have not registered yet can sign up to receive emergency updates by app, text, email, or voice call at www.muskoka.on.ca/alertmuskoka.
“The spring ice storm was a strong reminder of how quickly conditions can change. Staying informed early can save lives. Checking your emergency alerts is one of the simplest ways to be ready, not just for one season, but all year long,” according to Terry Glover, Chair of the District’s Health Services Committee.
This year’s Emergency Preparedness Week theme, Plan for Every Season, highlights the importance of year-round readiness for any type of emergency. To learn more about emergency preparedness and how to register for alerts, visit www.muskoka.on.ca/be-prepared.
About the MERC
The Muskoka Emergency Response Committee (MERC) is composed of representatives from Muskoka’s six area municipalities (the Towns of Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, and Huntsville, and the Townships of Muskoka Lakes, Lake of Bays, and Georgian Bay), two First Nation communities (Moose Deer Point and Wahta Mohawks), and the District of Muskoka. MERC works together to coordinate emergency planning and management across the region, ensuring a unified approach to preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies. Through this coordinated effort, the committee aims to protect the health and safety of Muskoka’s residents and visitors during all types of emergencies.
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