Uncategorized

Wireless emergency alerts one year later, are Canadians safer?

May 1, 2019 / by Jacob Westfall / Uncategorized / 0 comments

Wireless public alerting has been with us for one year already! Since April 2018, the CRTC has required that all wireless service providers in Canada distribute emergency alerts sent from Canada’s national public alerting system, Alert Ready, to all their subscribers. These alerts are generated by emergency officials across Canada to warn the public of […]

Are mobile apps the best way to alert the public of emergencies?

August 7, 2018 / by Rick Arter / Uncategorized / 0 comments

I was asked the other day if mobile apps are now the best way to alert the public of disasters and hazards? Despite being strong advocates of mobile technologies since that’s our area specialization and expertise, my answer was no. That may come as a surprise to those who know us. The primary objective of […]

5 Reasons you want to get Advisory alerts

July 23, 2018 / by Evan Kirkwood / Uncategorized / 0 comments

At times, the number of Advisory alerts in effect in Alertable may seem overwhelming or annoying. When you factor in the various weather conditions that may trigger alerts, plus other events such as fires and flooding, it may seem like the Alertable app is notifying all the time. However, staying informed about Advisory alerts is […]

The when, where and what of Wireless Public Alerting in Canada

July 18, 2018 / by Jacob Westfall / Uncategorized / 0 comments

The Alert Ready Wireless tests in May 2018 received a lot of attention, and previous blog posts discussed “What” these tests are and “Why” they are run. Another common question about these tests is “When” do they take place? The Canadian National Public Alerting System, also known as NPAS or Alert Ready, includes the participation […]

Does faster to boil mean faster to safely use?

July 9, 2018 / by Rick Arter / Uncategorized / 0 comments

Did you know that the higher you go, the faster water boils? When people hear that for the first time, they can mistakenly jump to assuming the faster they’ll have safe water to use and consume. However, that is not correct. First, let’s understand why water boils faster at higher elevations. At sea level, water will […]

Making The Most of Maps for Mobile

July 3, 2018 / by Evan Kirkwood / Uncategorized / 0 comments

Using maps to present information poses some user experience issues, particularly when they are accessed on smartphones and tablet devices. On a desktop or laptop computer, mouse or track-pad interaction provides a high-level of precision, and the ability to click and drag. This interaction is more difficult on a touch-device, since the same drag gesture […]

Public Alert System Tests: They Have Been Happening for Years

June 20, 2018 / by Jacob Westfall / Uncategorized / 0 comments

The Alert Ready Wireless tests in May 2018 received a lot of attention, but did you know that the Canadian National Public Alerting System (NPAS), otherwise known as AlertReady, has been conducting regular tests like this for years? Canadians are likely more aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) tests that the United States conducts. […]

Why spend 7-days designing a product already built?

June 13, 2018 / by Rick Arter / Uncategorized / 0 comments

Along the theme of our earlier blog “Why spend 5-days dreaming up an idea for a product already built?” one might think spending 7-days designing the user experience for a product already built is a waste of time. They could argue it only sets up for disappointment. “Why bother, you’re only going to tell me […]

Boiling Points – Getting The Word Out On Drinking Water Advisories

June 4, 2018 / by Evan Kirkwood / Uncategorized / 0 comments

Drinking water advisories are issued by public health authorities when tap water is unsafe to drink and may cause illness or transmit disease. The terminology used to describe the different types of water quality alerts varies between provinces, regions and local health units, as does the availability of information. Some provinces do not publish water […]

The State of Alerting in Canada

May 24, 2018 / by Jacob Westfall / Uncategorized / 0 comments

There are a diverse number of alerting systems in Canada, which reflects the challenges in reaching a small population spread over a very large geographic area. Canadian alerting systems align, like many things, with the structure of government: national, provincial/territorial, and local. At the national level, there is AlertReady. This system is primarily governed by […]

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