Emergency Alert system in Canada?

[theradiokid]

Does Canada have something similar to the emergency alert system in the US. This is where, if there's an emergency, programming will be inturupted, you'll hear several harsh tones, followed by, most likely, a bulletin from NOAA weather radio?

If Canada does have such thing, what does it sound like?

--The Radio Kid
(Oswego, NY)
My Email: [email protected].

 

[Yeziknoradio]

The emergency alert system in the States was established years before the invention of all news radio, so why is it needed?

 

[azumanga]

Does Canada have something similar to the emergency alert system in the US.

In 2009, Pelmorex, the people that own "The Weather Network", was approved for an EAS-style system called the "All Channel Alert", though there's no word on how or when it will be impemented:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelmorex

In addition, the CBC and Bell TV each also applied to the CRTC for an emergency service back in 2007 -- don't know how that turned out.

Currently -- nationally, there's currently no EAS-type service in use in Canada, though the Canadian government has their own in the development stages, CANALERT:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CANALERT

On a provincial scale, I know of only one that is actively in use, in Alberta:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Public_Warning_System

 

[spunker88]

The emergency alert system in the States was established years before the invention of all news radio, so why is it needed?

I'd say even today its still useful to have for severe weather and tornados, especially down south where these storms can be more common and dangerous. Its about getting the warning out over all means possible, tv, radio, etc.

The system was also put in place for times of national security issues, which was a big deal during the Cold War. And even nowadays with the threat of terrorism it could still be useful for that.

 

[azumanga]

The system was also put in place for times of national security issues, which was a big deal during the Cold War. And even nowadays with the threat of terrorism it could still be useful for that.

Except that each time when there was an opportunity to activate the EAS and its prececessors, including 9/11, the media scooped them first, making the EAS redundant.

The EAS is great for weather alerts and other local alerts that require immediate attention (such as a chemical leak), but when a city or the whole country gets attacked, most likely you'll hear it on your local station or CNN first.

 

[mjlarochelle]

CBC Radio One could theoretically run an EAS because of its sheer reach.