Manitoba to test new emergency alert system on Wednesday

Provincial officials will test out a newly-mintedemergency alert system for Manitoba on Wednesday afternoon.

Last month, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission mandated all TV and radio broadcasters in Canada must be able to send out alert messages to local audiences.

On Wednesday, at 1:58 p.m., that system will be tested across the province on all radio and TV stations at the same time.

Thesystem is designed to let local emergency departments like fire and police to send out an alert to the public quickly and easily.

"When I say it's going to save lives, there is no doubt in my mind that it will," said Steve Ashton, the minister responsible for emergency services.

The system is called Alert Ready and can be activated for anything from missing children to tornadoes to bio-hazardous spills. The hope is the new system will get the information out faster and to more people.

For the province, the next step is working on a social media strategy to get the word out via Twitter and Facebook.

"It's being worked on actively," said Lee Spencer, the assistant deputy minister of the province's Emergency Measures Organization. "We can expect it in the next year or two."