A test of the Alert Ready System is scheduled to take place across the province on May 8.

“Be Emergency Ready is the theme of Emergency Preparedness Week this year and the Alert Ready System is one of the key tools Manitobans have at their disposal to ensure they are ready when disaster strikes,” said Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler in a news release.

Schuler added not all Manitobans will receive the test alert due to reasons such as device compatibility, connection to a LTE network, cell tower coverage, as well as individual software and settings.

Regular testing helps build awareness of the Alert Ready system and what an emergency alert will look and sound like on compatible wireless devices, cable, satellite TV, radio and web. Prior to the test, Manitobans are encouraged to check their wireless device compatibility and update their software.

“While more than 120 emergency alerts have been successfully transmitted to Canadians over television, radio and wireless devices since April 2018, having regular tests allows us to better educate Canadians about Alert Ready and provide an opportunity to validate and improve the end to end performance and reliability of the system, “said Martin Belanger, director of public alerting at Pelmorex, which operates the infrastructure behind the Alert Ready System.

Manitobans who receive the emergency alert while driving are encouraged to calmly and safely pull to the side of the roadway as soon as possible to view the alert.