Test of the public emergency alerting system set for today

SYDNEY, N.S. — Televisions, radios and mobile phones will be pinging in unison at 1:55 p.m. on Nov. 28 when the Emergency Management Office conducts a second test of the emergency alert system.
The Alert Ready system, as it is known, allows emergency management officials to send out public alerts in times of emergency. Participants in the national system include private and public broadcasters, cellphone service providers and government organizations.
“When an emergency happens seconds count. Alert Ready is one of the many tools we can use to notify Nova Scotians of an emergency,” said Chuck Porter, minister responsible for the Emergency Management Office, in a press release. 
“We encourage Nova Scotians to visit the Alert Ready site or speak with their wireless provider to confirm if their device is compatible to receive these alerts.”
The EMO regularly tests components of the public alerting system before an actual emergency occurs to create awareness of Alert Ready and how it works on television, radio and wireless.
Not everyone received the alert on their mobile devices during the previous test in May for a variety of reasons, including device compatibility, settings and connection to a network. Nova Scotians who do not receive the alert Nov. 28 are encouraged to follow up with their service provider.
The upcoming test begins with a loud alert sound on radio, television and compatible cellphones. The sound is followed by a spoken message on television and radio and a text on television and cellphone screens. If a cellphone is in silent mode, there will be no sound but a message will be displayed and the phone may vibrate.
If it is switched off it will not receive an emergency alert.
In addition to the alert system, EMO uses Twitter and Facebook to alert the public.
Visit www.alertready.ca for more information about cellphone compatibility.