HIGH RIVER, AB: The Town will be performing a test of its emergency notification systems at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, January 6.
This test is part of the Town’s ongoing emergency preparedness plan and will include a test of the regional alert system and the permanent outdoor sirens.
All residents are encouraged to sign up for the High River ALERT system which is part of the Safe Communities Alert Network (SCAN). Registrations are not limited to households.
“After our last test in September we had 500 new registrations bringing us to 4,630 in total,” says Carly Benson, director of emergency management with the Town. “Our goal is to have 5,000 people signed up by May.”
You can sign up for High River ALERT by visiting the website www.hrready.ca. The information you provide will be used to notify you of an emergency and to keep you informed throughout the emergency.
On January 6, all registered users will receive a test notification. Test alert phone calls will come from 403-933-6568, emails from Safe Communities Alert Network, and text messages from 89362.
The permanent sirens are meant for outdoor notifications only and most people will not be able to hear them inside. The siren test will last for three minutes, but in a real emergency the sirens will sound continuously.
When residents hear the sirens, they can go to one of the following sources to find potential life-saving information:
- Tune in to local television and radio stations (Sun Country 99.7 FM, Eagle 100.9 FM and AM1140)
- Look for notifications from High River ALERT, SCAN or Alberta Emergency Alert
- Log on to www.hrready.ca, Facebook.com/highriver.ca, and Twitter @TownofHighRiver
- Be safe and follow directions from emergency officials
If it’s safe to do so, notify neighbours, friends and family of the situation who may not have received a warning.
“We are asking residents to help us reach our goal by checking in with their neighbors, friends, and family before the test to make sure everyone is signed up for High River ALERT,” adds Benson.
The sirens and alerts will continue to be tested three times each year on the first Wednesday in January, May and September. For more information, please visit www.hrready.ca