How emergency alerting works
Last updated on November 14, 2023Read about who has the authority to send emergency alerts, the range of an alert and get help troubleshooting.
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Who can send an emergency alert?
Emergency alerts can be sent to cell phones only, radio and TV only, or all three together.
These alerts must meet this criteria before being issued:
- There is a threat to human life
- The threat is immediate
- There are recommended actions that may save lives
Emergency alerts are issued by different agencies depending on the emergency.
- The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) can issue emergency alerts at the request of a Local Government, First Nation partner agency or the Province during:
- high-risk flood and wildfire evacuations
- extreme heat emergencies
- tsunami warnings
- The BC RCMP, independently or at the request of local police, can issue emergency alerts during:
- Amber Alerts, and
- during civil emergencies, including active shooter events
- Environment and Climate Change Canada can issue emergency alerts during severe weather events, including but not limited to:
- tornadoes
- thunderstorms
- storm surges
These agencies use the Alert Ready system to issue emergency alerts.
Sending emergency alerts to cell phones
When a cell phone receives an emergency alert, it produces a unique vibration and alert tone.
When emergency alerts are sent to cell phones:
- A circle or polygon (a shape) is drawn on a map in the Alert Ready system. The area inside the shape shows the impacted area for the emergency alert
- The emergency alert is then sent to all cell towers with coverage in the impacted area
- The emergency alert is then delivered to all cell phones receiving a signal from these towers
Why emergency alerts reach cell phones outside the impacted area
The reach of cell towers in the impacted area may extend outside the intended boundaries of the emergency alert, so alert messages can reach cell phones outside the impacted area. This overreach is likely and should be expected.
The extent of this overreach depends on the location and the range of the towers in the warning area. The coverage area of each tower can vary. Some towers cover small areas, and others cover large areas. Geography, like bodies of water or mountains, can also increase or decrease the reach of these towers.
Since overreach is to be expected, if you receive an emergency alert message on your cell phone you must verify the intended impacted area by:
- listening or reading carefully to understand the described area in the alert message
- confirming if you are in the impacted area through trusted sources, such as your local government or Emergency Info BC.
Note: The emergency alert system does not locate or track individual cell phones. It simply broadcasts a message to all phones within range of the impacted area. In Canada, you cannot opt-out of receiving emergency alerts sent to cell phones. For more information, review privacy or opting out below.
Sending emergency alerts to TV and radio
When emergency alerts are sent to TV and radio stations in a impacted area, regular programming is interrupted by a unique alert tone. The emergency alert message is then read and/or displayed.
Emergency alerts can be broadcast to:
- FM and AM radio stations
- over-the-air television stations
- subscription-based television providers
Why emergency alerts reach TVs and radios outside the warning area
You may receive an alert on TV and radio if you are tuned-in to programming from a broadcaster that services the impacted area. Like emergency alerts sent to cell phones, overreach beyond the intended warning area on radio and TV is likely and should be expected.
Since overreach is to be expected, if you receive an emergency alert on TV or radio, verify the impacted area by:
- listening or reading carefully to understand the described area in the alert message
- confirming if you are in the intended warning area through trusted sources, such as your local government or Emergency Info BC
Troubleshooting
Find answers to common emergency alerting questions and technical issues. Additional information is available on the Alert Ready top questions and answers page.
Did not receive an emergency alert
You will receive an emergency alert on your wireless device if it is:
- A smartphone that is configured for an LTE or 5G network for high-speed wireless communication (LTE is commonly referred to as “4G LTE”)
- Wireless public alerting compatible
- Connected to an LTE cellular network at the time the emergency alert is issued
- Connected to cell tower that is broadcasting the emergency alert
If your cell phone doesn't meet these conditions, you may not receive the alert. Please contact your wireless service provider if you have questions about receiving alerts on your device.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requires wireless service providers to distribute alerts to all compatible and connected wireless devices in the area covered by an alert.
Presidential Alerts
Phones purchased outside of Canada, manufactured before the emergency alert system was implemented, or manufactured to be compatible with the U.S. Wireless Emergency Alerts system may receive a “Presidential Alert” or another non-Canadian headline banner. In Canada, governments and private sector partners have agreed to the term “EMERGENCY ALERT / ALERTE D’URGENCE”, outlined in the the National Public Alerting System Common Look and Feel Guidance.
Privacy or opting out
Emergency alerts are sent to cell phones, TV and radio without a subscription and at no cost.
- It is not possible to opt out of receiving emergency alerts
- Emergency alert issuers do not collect, have access to, or retain any contact or personal information when issuing an emergency alert
- Alerts are geographically targeted to a specific area and all compatible wireless devices in the area will receive the alert
- Your local authority may have other emergency notification systems that you can subscribe to. Check with your local government or First Nation
Repeating alerts
If you are receiving identical alert message multiple times, first check if another app on your device is notifying you of the same alert. For example, you may be receiving the same alert through an app such as The Weather Network or from your local authority.
If you are receiving the same alert message repeatedly, check your device's notification settings. If you're unsure of where to look, search online for your device's user manual or contact your wireless service provider for help.
Subscription
Alerts will be broadcast without a subscription and at no cost. This will ensure the maximum number of people receive the alert immediately.
You can subscribe to emergency alerting apps on your cell phone as an additional way to receive emergency alerts in B.C. Contact your First Nation or local government for information about emergency alerting apps in your area.