The Saskatchewan emergency alert system is now available in the palm of you hand.
The province has launched the SaskAlert app on Apple and Android phones. It allows residents to get real-time information about emergencies, like tornados or flooding, as they unfold.
When an emergency happens, the phone sounds off a tone and shows as a notification providing information on not just what is happening, but messages given by municipalities and emergency officials.
Emergency management commissioner Duane McKay hopes people will find the tool useful.
“This gives us an opportunity for people, number one, to be alerted and number two, take action that will keep them safe,” he explained. “Get all the detailed information of where they need to go or any other action.”
The alert isn’t just weather related, it may relate to a boil water advisory that has been issued or a train derailment.
Users of the app can get province-wide alerts but also customize it to only notify about alerts in their specific area or where they are traveling to.
SaskAlert is also connected to the national advisory system.