The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) has announced they will be launching a new Evacuation Notification System (ENS) in order to help keep residents and property owners informed in case of evacuation orders or alerts during critical events such as wildfire, floods or hazardous materials incidents.
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“The notification system will only be used for evacuation alerts or orders and has been implemented as an additional tool to help us get the word out as quickly as possible to affected areas when time is of the essence,” explained RDEK communications manager Loree Duczek in a press release.
“People have to register to receive notifications and can add as many locations in the East Kootenay as they would like,” Duczek continued. “Once they have registered at least one location, they can choose to receive notifications via text or phone. There is also an app that can be downloaded to smartphones.”
ENS will be powered by Voyent Alert! and if this type of alert system interests you, you may register online at https://ca.voyent-alert.com/vras/register.html and start receiving notifications via text or phone. Voyent Alert! is an affordable notification service designed to meed the needs of small to medium-sized communities.
Once on the link, click “My Locations” from the menu to add locations. If you’re using a smart phone, Voyent Alert! offers an app that can be downloaded from the Apple App or Google Play stores.
“This service is available to all residents and property owners in the East Kootenay,” said Duczek. “Whether you live in a municipality, a rural area, or you own a second home here, you will receive a notification if you have subscribed and there is an evacuation alert or order affecting your chosen locations.”
“The introduction of ENS gives us one more tool in our regional emergency communications toolkit,” added Rob Gay, board chair of the RDEK. “Over the past two years, we have seen how long it can take to complete the notification process when a large area is affected, so we are excited to have this new option available.”
If seeking general information pertaining to various emergencies, people are still encouraged to sign up for one of the RDEK’s email groups, follow them on Facebook or get their information from local media or local information sources.
More information is available at www.rdek.bc.ca
paul.rodgers@cranbrooktownsman.com
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