Nanaimo residents are being assured there’s no need to panic when the city issues an alert on its emergency call system.
The alert will be issued Thursday, Nov. 21, but instead of an emergency information broadcast it will be a reminder for people to register with the new system.
The city is switching to an improved emergency call alert system called Voyent Alert, which has updated features that include the ability to sign up online and receive text messages, phone calls and e-mails as well as push notifications through the Voyent Alert app. Subscribers can choose how they would like to receive alerts.
The new Voyent Alert system will also allow for additional alert and information features, such as major road closures and cougar sightings.
Anyone with current information in the old system will receive a call or e-mail reminder to switch to the new system.
The old system will be retired Wednesday, Nov. 27, and the existing database will be deleted. Any residents and business owners signed up with the old system will need to re-register with the new system to continue receiving emergency alerts from the city.
“After issuing a mass notification in December 2018, we received feedback from residents about the current system’s limitations and outdated data,” Karen Lindsay, Nanaimo emergency program manager, said in a press release. “This led us to look for new solutions to effectively deliver emergency alerts and communicate quickly and accurately to the public.”
To learn more about and register for the new alert system, visit https://nanaimo.ca/goto/alerts.
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