With only 25 per cent of the region’s population currently registered, the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) has announced an opportunity for remaining residents to sign up for the Cariboo Chilcotin Emergency Notification System.
From May 13 to 17, the CRD will hold an open sign-up week for residents to register to receive free of charge mass emergency notifications. This initiative is offered through a partnership with the CRD, 100 Mile House, Quesnel, Wells, and Williams Lake.
Residents who register for the program will receive notifications about emergency and time-sensitive local events and will have the option to pre-select locations that are important to them during registration.
Five contact methods are available to receive these updates, and individuals can indicate which method they prefer upon registration: home phone, business phone, cell phone, text message, or email.
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In a news release issued May 2 by the CRD, residents were assured that notifications would only be received if an emergency or time-sensitive situation impacts the location(s) they have registered for.
The system not only provides evacuation orders and alerts, but also allows local governments to issue boil water notices, utility emergencies, and other public works notifications.
The Cariboo Chilcotin Emergency Notification System is different from the national Alert Ready system, which is currently only used for tsunami warnings in B.C.
To sign up for emergency notifications, visit your local government’s website and click the “Register for Emergency Notifications” icon. If you have already registered previously for the system, there is no need to sign up again. Rather, log into your online profile and look over your contact information to confirm it’s up to date.
The recent press release from the CRD included a few additional system notification tips to ensure successful use of the tool. Residents should sign up for individual notifications, rather than signing up as a family unit. This guarantees that the notification system will reach all parties through their personal devices.
Further, residents should ensure that the pin on the map registered for their relevant address is accurate to their actual location. Misplacing the pin location is a common reason why individuals may not receive accurate notifications.
100 Mile House residents can receive the latest information on local alerts and emergencies such as wildfires and floods by registering for the alert system during sign-up week through 100milehouse.com. Those with questions or concerns about the system are invited to contact the District of 100 Mile House at 250-395-2434.
