British Columbians will get test emergency alerts Wednesday

An emergency alert is seen on a mobile phone in North Vancouver, B.C., in this Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, file photo. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)

Don’t be alarmed – when your phone makes a loud noise Wednesday afternoon, it will only be a test.

B.C. is testing its emergency alert system at 1:55 p.m. on Nov. 19. The test alert will go off on all compatible cellphones and interrupt radio and TV broadcasts.

The message will read: “This is a TEST of the BC Emergency Alert System issued by the Province of British Columbia. This is ONLY a TEST. In an emergency, this message would tell you about the hazard and how to stay safe. This information could save your life. Visit https://www.emergencyinfobc.ca/test to learn more and give feedback on this test. This is ONLY a TEST."

The alert system is tested twice a year in the province, which the government says helps improve public awareness about the emergency notifications, gives an example of what to expect in a real incident, and offers opportunity to adjust the system before an actual emergency occurs.

Various agencies can use the emergency alert system to warn of tsunamis, floods, wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, civil emergencies and amber alerts.

Alerts could also go out in the event of a large earthquake before strong shaking begins.

More information about B.C. emergency alerts can be found here.