Android App   Android App

If you have an Android mobile phone or tablet you can install the Alberta Emergency Alert App to receive alerts. The App is available in the Google Play Store for Android 4.0 and up devices.


iOS App   iOS App

If you have an Apple mobile phone or tablet you can install the Alberta Emergency Alert App to receive alerts. The App is available in the App Store for iOS 6.0 and up devices and is optimized for an iPhone.


Frequently Asked Questions



1. Why is Alberta Emergency Alert important to me?
Alerts received at the right time can help keep you safe during an emergency. With Alberta Emergency Alert, warnings can be sent to your mobile device when you may be in harm's way.
2. What is an Alberta Emergency Alert message?
Alberta Emergency Alert is an emergency message sent by authorized government alerting authorities through radio, television, social media and your mobile device.
3. What types of alerts will I receive?
Critical Alerts: Provides necessary information when there is an immediate and life threatening danger.
Informational Alerts: Provides less urgent emergency information to the public, preparing them for potentially worsening situations. These alerts should be used to protect and prepare the public, their property, their animals and/or the environment from the impacts of a potential emergency.
Test Alerts: System testing in progress
4. What are Alberta Emergency Alert messages sent for?
Critical alerts are issued when there is an immediate threat to life and safety. Information alerts are more common, and include (but not limited to) roadway closures, air and water quality, school closures or infrastructure problems such as telephone or gas outages.
5. What should I do when I receive an Alberta Emergency Alert message?
Follow any action advised by the message. Tune into local media or seek details from local authorities for additional direction.
6. Will the audible alert go off for all alerts?
The audible alert will sound for all Critical alerts. Users have the option to disable audio for the less serious Information Alerts.
7. How will I know if there is a new alert?
The notification list on your device will be updated when a new alert is received. If the alert is a Critical alert, the Alberta Emergency Alert audible alert tone will be sounded as well.
8. What happens if I shut off sounds?
The device will still vibrate when an alert comes in provided that setting is enabled on the phone.
9. What happens if my device is powered off?
Your device will not receive alerts if it is powered off, but will again once it is turned back on. If there is a current alert, you should receive it after turning your device back on.
10. What happens when my device is asleep?
Your device will still receive alerts.
11. Will I receive alerts in airplane mode?
You will not get alerts until you re-establish a valid network connection.
12. Will I receive an Alberta Emergency Alert message if I'm visiting an area where I don't live, or outside the area where my phone is registered?
Yes, if you have selected "My Current Location" or "All Alberta" for your notification area.
13. What if I travel into a threat area after an Alberta Emergency Alert message is already sent?
You will receive the alert for an area if you have registered for alerts in that area.
14. When will I start receiving Alberta Emergency Alert messages?
You will start receiving alerts once the application has been installed on your smartphone or tablet and as alerts are issued.
15. How much will it cost to download the Alberta Emergency Alert app?
The Alberta Emergency Alert app is free. Any cost could be related to data connection charges assessed by your service provider.
16. Will I be charged for receiving Alberta Emergency Alert messages?
Contact your service provider.
17. Is this the same service that other local authority public safety agencies have asked the public to register for?
No, but they are complementary. Local agencies may have asked you to sign up to receive telephone calls, text messages, or emails. Those messages often include specific details about a critical event. Alberta Emergency Alerts are very short messages designed to get your attention in a critical situation. They may not give all the details you receive from other notification services.
18. Does Alberta Emergency Alert know where I am? Is it tracking me?
No. The location data is to ensure the right alerts are going to the devices that have installed the Alberta Emergency Alert mobile application.
19. Will an Alberta Emergency Alert message interrupt my phone conversations?
No. Phone conversations will not be interrupted when alerts come in.
20. How often will I receive Alberta Emergency Alert messages?
You may get very few Alberta Emergency Alert messages, or you may receive frequent messages when conditions change during an emergency. The number of messages depends on the number of imminent threats to life or property in your area.
21. If, during an emergency, I can't make or receive calls or text messages due to network congestion, will I still be able to receive an Alberta Emergency Alert message?
The Alberta Emergency Alert App requires a valid data connection (whether through WiFi or cellular networks) for alerts to be received. If those networks are congested and/or are of poor signal strength, the timely delivery of alert messages may be impacted.
22. What if I don't want to receive Alberta Emergency Alert messages?
You can uninstall the application on your smartphone and you will no longer receive Alberta Emergency Alert alerts through the application.
23. How will I receive alerts if I don't have an Alberta Emergency Alert-capable device?
The Alberta Emergency Alert mobile application is only one of the ways you receive emergency alerts. Other sources include news broadcasts, the Alberta Emergency Alert System on radio and television, Twitter, Facebook and RSS feeds.
24. Why can there sometimes be a delay for the Alberta Emergency Alert mobile app to notify me?
There are many steps in the process of sending notifications to your phone. Many of those steps are out of the Government's control, including the notification services from Apple and Google and network availability. There's also the capacity and capability of your mobile network provider, at the time the notification was sent, that can affect actual speed to your smartphone.
25. Should I rely solely on the mobile app to notify me of emergencies happening in Alberta?
No. Although the mobile app is a valuable and convenient way to be alerted of emergencies in Alberta, there are other ways to receive alerts. Television, radio, social media (Facebook and Twitter) and the Alberta Emergency Alert website also provide this same emergency alert information. Each has its own benefits and limitations - it's best to receive alerts from multiple sources.
26. What if I hear about an Alberta Emergency Alert some other way than the mobile app, can I still use the mobile app to find out information about the emergency?
Yes, you can always use the mobile app to get more information for an alert that you may have just heard. You can also check the www.emergencyalert.alberta.ca website.
27. There has been a delay in receiving alerts on Apple devices, has this been fixed?
Yes, the issue of notifications being slow for Apple devices has been resolved. Notifications will now be delivered at the same speed as they are delivered to the Android devices, which did not have the problem. Alberta Emergency Alert mobile app messages are being sent to Apple and Android mobile devices in 5 minutes or less. That said, there can still be a delay due to other reasons. (See question 24)
28. What is the difference between the Alberta Emergency Alert app and the new wireless alert?
Only the most serious alerts will be sent out using the new wireless alerting system. Other alerts that provide information on developing emergencies or serious alerts from other areas will be delivered to you via the Alberta Emergency Alert app, social media and the Alberta Emergency Alert website. The wireless alert message will only contain basic information, and maps and more details will be available from the app and website.
29. Will I receive wireless alerts, if I have the Alberta Emergency Alert app on my smart phone?
The wireless alert messages will be delivered to your wireless device only if you are in the impacted area. Depending on your preference, the Alberta Emergency Alert app could receive alerts for the entire province.
30. Can I remove the Alberta Emergency Alert app from my phone now that wireless alerts are being sent to me?
This is not recommended. The app and wireless alert message are complementary with the wireless alert being a short message and the app providing more detail and a map.
31. Will the alert go off on my smartphone twice if I have the Alberta Emergency Alert app and receive a wireless alert message?
Yes. You will receive two alerts. However, we are working to blend the two systems so that only one alarm is sounded for the alert.

Disclaimer

Use of this mobile application, and use of the information accessed by it, is your responsibility. This application is provided 'as is', without warranty or representation of any kind including the use, accuracy, timelines, applicability, performance, security, availability or reliability of this application, or that it is free of errors or defects. The Government of Alberta is not responsible for any loss or damage arising from the use of this mobile application or any reliance on the information accessed by it. The Government of Alberta is not responsible for any loss or damage arising out of a failure to access information through this mobile application, or from any virus or other damage to your mobile device or its operating system resulting from the downloading of this application.