Notify Me Now test goes tomorrow

Hatters needn’t panic when they receive a test call from Medicine Hat’s emergency warning system Thursday, but planners hope it will spur them to tailor how they would like to be informed of impending danger.

The system, known as Notify Me Now, was set up over the winter and includes most land-line residential and business numbers found in the white and yellow pages.

Planners however, say citizens often use multiple communications devices, such as cellphone, text messaging, email or social media to receive information, and home numbers may not be the best.

As part of Emergency Preparedness Week across Canada, the city’s office of emergency management will test the system Thursday.

The system delivers location specific information about dangerous situations, such as flooding and industrial accidents that might include different information for different areas.

As well, people will have several locations they will want to keep track of during an emergency, such as a child’s school, their workplace, or the residence of an elderly relative.

Numbers connected to addresses generally south of the Trans-Canada Highway will be called starting at 9 a.m.

A middle band of communities, stretching from the Southwest Hill to Ross Glen will be called from 10 a.m. on.

Taylor, Crestwood, Southview and the Flats are scheduled for 11 a.m., the Southeast Hill and downtown at 1 p.m., then areas north of the river after 2 p.m.

More information on the system can be found at the city’s website www.medicinehat.ca.