DID YOU GET THE ALERT?

An emergency alert test reached many people last Wednesday, but it didn’t reach everyone and now comes to task of determining why.

Prior to last week, emergency alert tests had only ever focused on television and radio. May 9 was the first time in Nova Scotia the test involved cell phones. But not everyone received a text message or tone alert on their wireless devices.

Nova Scotia EMO executive director Paul Mason said there are three steps involved in getting an alert out. The first step is for EMO to properly configure the alert. The second step is to get the alert to Pelmorex, which owns The Weather Network, so the alert can be pushed out to the broadcasters – television, radio and now wireless. The third step is for the broadcasters to display the message on their various platforms.

“Certainly the first two steps, as they did in the past, with television and radio went fine,” said Mason. “With regard to wireless there seems to be mixed results on the actual devices displaying the message. There were many that received it, but there was a sizeable number that didn’t.”

In the case of a real alert, people will receive information on pending danger, so it is important to know why the test alert didn’t reach everyone.

“In some of the cases it may be an incompatible device,” said Mason, saying people can go online to alertready.ca to see if their device is compatible. In other cases, he said, it may be that there were software updates pending on the devices.

“Whether or not that’s the reason, only the wireless carriers can answer that question, but it seemed like it may have likely played a role,” said Mason.

“And then there’s the chance that some of the networks, even though the alert was disseminated, it didn’t go to their devices,” Mason said.

He said reviewing what worked and what didn’t – and most importantly why it didn’t – is the key to improving the system.

“Ultimately it’s with the wireless carriers to ensure their networks disseminate these alerts and the various devices their customers have will display them. That’s a requirement for them under their CRTC licence,” he said. “But obviously we’ll be in- volved in that discussion and will aid where we can.”

Mason said corrective measures will need to be taken before another test is tried.

“I expect there will be further tests. I think the key step before another wireless test…is we really want to understand and get our heads around why devices didn’t display the alert and take whatever corrective measures are needed,” he said.

He added one good take-away from the test is a majority of the public seemed to know the test was coming due to the public awareness that took place ahead of it.