The emergency coordinator for Southern Emergency Response Committee (SERC) is hoping this week's nationwide test of the Alert Ready system for mobile devices leads to further discussion.

A test message is scheduled to be sent to wireless devices on Wednesday, May 9, at 1:55 p.m.

Darin Driedger says this new technology will allow emergency planners to broadcast alerts to people quicker, and more efficiently, however, he says there will still be some vulnerabilities.

"It's not all encompassing...this day and age most people have smartphones, but not everyone, especially a segment of the elderly," said Drideger.

Driedger encourages people who may know someone, whether it's a neighbour, family member, or a friend, that may be in this situation, to keep them in mind when these alerts do come across. "Ultimately, it's a great tool, but it's not perfect."

Driedger notes Alert Ready is only an initial notification, and if there is an emergency event, residents will need to get further instruction from their local media, including GoldenWest radio stations, Country 88.9, The Eagle 93.5, CFAM 950, PembinaValleyOnline.com, the PembinaValleyOnline.com mobile app, or their municipal websites.

Driedger says an emergency kit doesn't have to be fancy or expensive.This is also Emergency Preparedness Week across Canada, and with that, Driedger says taking time to plan ahead is critical in being ready for any type of possible emergency. He says making a family plan doesn't need to take long, it's just a matter of sitting down together to do it.

"It's not hard to do, there are many examples online, especially on the GetPrepared.ca website on how to make a family plan." He says the site includes a form to outline your plan and covers things like an evacuation route and emergency contacts.

When considering your emergency contacts, Driedger says it's also important to have an out of town contact. "For example, if an emergency happens during the day, family members are often spread out, some might be in school, and some might be at work...so you should have an out of town connection that you know you can reach out to, and that will be your point of contact for your whole family." Driedger says that allows families to reunite a lot quicker and also lessens the uncertainty and stress that these events can bring.

Having an emergency kit ready, and preferably something portable is also important in being prepared.

"In an emergency situation, you may have to leave very suddenly and it can be very stressful, and so if you're running around trying to acquire certain things, especially in the heat of the moment, you might overlook something, or it will just be very difficult to do in that situation." He says having it centralized in a bag, ready to go, really helps you mitigate that as much as possible.

Driedger says most items you would need in a basic kit are items many people already have in their house. He says the kit doesn't have to be fancy or expensive, and again, he says there are many examples on the GetPrepared.ca website.

Related article: Alert Ready System Coming To Cell Phones