Conversations continue around emergency alerting systems

When flood waters breached the banks of the Coldwater River in November, the vast majority of Merritt residents were sleeping. With the evacuation order coming out after midnight, officials went door to door knocking on every house in the flood plain to ensure everybody got out safely.

The process also raised questions of how agencies can work to together to ensure early warning is given to residents during emergencies. During his stop in Merritt, Minister Bill Blair addressed ongoing conversations with Emergency Management BC and other counterparts with regards alerting systems.

“The first response to any crisis or emergency is the public, and making sure the public is well informed. Keeping people informed that they can make good decisions and be safe,” said Blair. “What we have learned is the importance of a good public alerting system. It is a really important part of the mandate the Prime Minister has given me, to work with the provinces, to build a really robust public alerting system in the event of emergencies.”

Blair added that along with the alert, the system needs to be able to spell out the next steps for those effected.

“Canadians need to have information of what to do and how to keep themselves safe. When the public is better prepared to respond, then they can be safer,” added Blair.