Phones with publicly listed numbers will receive a test notification from the Sudbury Alerts emergency notification system at 10 a.m. on May 12.
The test, conducted by the City of Greater Sudbury, will take place in the midst of Emergency Preparedness Week, which is being held May 7-13.
Those who have signed up to receive emergency notifications via text, email, TTY or mobile number via the city’s website will also receive a test notification.
The alert will appear on phones as coming from 705-805-9360, and a city media release noted, “It’s a good idea to include the number in your phone’s contacts and name it Sudbury Alerts so you always know when an emergency alert call is coming in. If you have signed up for text notifications, you’ll receive information from 89362 or 89364.”
The test messages will be clearly marked with the word TEST in written form and emphasized in voice recordings.
The city asks people to not phone 311 or 911 when they receive the notification.
People have phoned 911 to complain about emergency alerts in the past.
If an actual emergency occurs on May 12, the word TEST will not be part of the messaging, which will instead give specific details of an emergency and how to proceed.
The Sudbury Alerts program focuses on local emergencies, including such things as train derailments, extreme weather and potential air quality issues.
It can also deliver important messages about when to shelter in place and where to go for detailed information during a local emergency. Messages are available in English or French upon signup.
Sudbury Alerts is different from the national Alert Ready system, for which there is no sign-up or opt-in required.
To sign up for Sudbury Alerts, or to check or update your information and language preference, visit greatersudbury.ca/sudburyalerts.
