Latest news with #emergencyalert
CTV News
2 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Police confirm that ‘shelter in place' alert went to wider area than requested amid search for armed suspect in Pickering, Ont.
Durham Regional Police Service issued an emergency alert after an elderly woman was fatally stabbed in Pickering on May 29. Police lit up cellphones and TV screens with an emergency alert Thursday evening following a deadly stabbing in Pickering, Ont. But why did the notification to shelter in place reach as far as downtown Toronto? The alert issued by Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on behalf of the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) went out at 5:39 p.m. More than two-and-a-half hours earlier, an incident outside of a residence near Lynn Heights Drive and Fairport Road left a senior dead. Investigators say they are still in the early stages of probing the incident but have concluded that, 'after a brief interaction,' a 14-year-old suspect stabbed a female victim in a 'sadistic and cowardly, unprovoked attack.' The suspect has been arrested but cannot be identified under the terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. He's now facing a charge of first-degree murder. The victim has not been identified by police. Police previously told reporters that the victim was outside her home at the time of the stabbing when she was approached by a male they believe she did not know. Homicide Lynn Heights Drive Pickering May 29 Several police vehicles are stationed outside a home on Lynn Heights Drive in Pickering on May 29, 2025 after an elderly woman was fatally stabbed. (CTV News Toronto Chopper) The emergency notification was issued through Alert Ready, Canada's national public alert system, by way of Ontario Provincial Police. The public was advised to 'shelter in place' and the suspect was described as an 'unknown male.' Some people online say they received the alert in downtown Toronto. Others in York Region say they also got the message. 'Do they honestly think sheltering in place in all of Toronto and York is reasonable?' one Reddit user wrote. In a statement to CTV News Toronto, DRPS said the decision to have residents shelter in place was made as the suspect was at-large and armed. They said that the process for issuing the alert must see police submit a request in writing to the OPP before provincial police make final approval. 'The DRPS provided a suggested area to shelter in place in our alert request to the OPP. The area the alert extends to, is at the discretion of the OPP. My understanding is the reach for the alert went further than the requested area as the armed suspect was mobile and there was an imminent threat to public safety,' a spokesperson said in an email. DRPS added it has not received any complaints about the alert. CTV News Toronto has requested more information from the OPP and the Ministry of the Solicitor General, which oversees public safety, security and emergency measures in Ontario, on the scope of Thursday night's notification but has not received a response.
CBC
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Moss Pit shuts down
An emergency alert was issued to Edmontonians Thursday evening, warning of a possible thunderstorm and high winds. The alert came during the second intermission of Game 5 between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars, shutting down the Moss Pit. Fans were rushed inside Roger Place for shelter just as the third period was starting.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Severe thunderstorm warning issued for Edmonton and area
Clouds roll into Edmonton in this photo looking east on Stony Plain Road at 184 Street as thunderstorms approach the city on May 29, 2025. Edmonton received a severe thunderstorm warning Thursday night as 'a very dangerous' storm complex has developed, say federal meteorologists. The province via its emergency alert system the province issued the warning at 7:30 p.m., with Environment Canada meteorologists saying extreme wind gusts up to 130 kilometres per hour have developed ahead of thunderstorms west of the city. The areas under warning include the city, Strathcona County, Leduc County, the County of Wetaskiwin, Camrose County and Beaver County near Tofield. People are asked to take cover immediately if a thunderstorm approaches. If outside, they should protect themselves from flying debris and hail. Such warnings are given when imminent thunderstorms capable of producing hail, wind or rain develop in an area. Another day of heat Heat warnings continue for most of Alberta today as temperatures will get to the upper 20s/low 30s again this afternoon. Edmonton hit 29 C on Wednesday and should get a couple degrees hotter today. I'm going with a forecast high of 31 C. A cold front slashes across the province moving from west to east this afternoon and tonight bringing a chance of showers and thunderstorms to most of Alberta. The showers and storms will develop in west and northwestern Alberta this afternoon and we're expecting them to move through the Edmonton region this evening. There's a high risk of some severe thunderstorms affecting a few spots, particularly in central and north-central Alberta. Those storms will have the potential to produce damaging wind gusts, large hail and heavy downpours. We'll know more about the location of those storms later this afternoon as they start to develop, so pay attention to any weather alerts that get issued through the day. As always, most areas will not get hit with severe storms. However, I think almost everybody will at least get some strong, gusty wind and rain. Temperatures drop back to a high of about 22-24 C on Friday. But, we'll heat up again on Saturday and possibly see some more showers and thunderstorms Saturday night. Those storms will, once again, have the potential to turn severe in some areas. A lengthier stretch of cooler temperatures will settle in for next week with daytime highs in the 18 to 22 C range from Sunday through Thursday. Here's the forecast for Edmonton and area: Today - Mainly sunny. Wind: S 20 gusting to 40 km/h High: 31 Tonight - 70% chance of showers and/or thunderstorms. Risk of severe storms. 9pm: 18 Friday - Clearing in the morning. Sunny for most of the day. Morning Low: 11 Afternoon High: 24 Saturday - Mix of sun & cloud. 30% chance of an evening shower or thunderstorm. Morning Low: 12 Afternoon High: 28 40% chance of showers/thunderstorms overnight. Sunday - 30% chance of showers in the morning, then a Mix of sun & cloud. Morning Low: 10 Afternoon High: 18 Monday - Partly cloudy. Morning Low: 8 Afternoon High: 19 Tuesday - Partly cloudy. Morning Low: 8 Afternoon High: 20
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Pickering closes all public facilities, cancels programs and classes as manhunt continues for suspect wanted in fatal stabbing of elderly woman
Durham police say a woman was located with severe injuries and later transported to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. The City of Pickering has closed all public facilities and cancelled all programs and classes 'until further notice' as the manhunt continues for a suspect wanted for the fatal stabbing of an elderly woman. Notice of Facility Closures and Program Cancellations In response to the emergency alert to shelter in place, and ongoing DRPS investigation, the City of Pickering has closed all public facilities, including community centres and library branches. All scheduled City programs and… — City of Pickering (@CityofPickering) May 29, 2025 Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) said the incident happened just after 3 p.m. on Thursday on Lynn Heights Drive, which is just east of Fairport Road and north of Finch Avenue. Shortly after the deadly assault, police made a social media post warning the public of a heavy police presence in that area, as the suspect wanted in connection with the fatal incident is still at-large, and urging residents to 'shelter in place.' At 5:39 p.m., Durham Regional Police Service issued an emergency alert pertaining to a unknown male who is wanted in connection with a homicide at 2125 Lynn Heights Dr. They later said that the alert was 'for residents in the area' to shelter in place, adding they 'believe [it] was sent out to a larger area then (sic) anticipated." Emergency alert Pickering homicide Durham Regional Police Service issued an emergency alert after an elderly woman was fatally stabbed in Pickering on May 29. In an email to CTV News Toronto, Acting Stf. Sgt. Joanne McCabe said an elderly female was stabbed by an unknown male who fled the area on foot. The suspect is described by police as a brown male, who was last seen wearing a long black shiny trench coat to his ankles. McCabe said they are working on getting a photo of the suspect. The circumstances surrounding the assault are currently unknown. Police are set to provide an update on the situation at 7 p.m. Homicide Lynn Heights Drive Pickering May 29 Several police vehicles are stationed outside a home on Lynn Heights Drive in Pickering on May after an elderly woman was fatally stabbed. (CTV News Toronto Chopper) This is a developing story. More details to come…
RNZ News
24-05-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
Emergency mobile alerts - how they work, why you're getting them
Photo: RNZ Explainer: Brace yourself - your phone will make itself heard on Sunday night. The annual national test of the emergency mobile alert system is scheduled for between 6-7pm. That distinctive buzzing alarm may come as a mild shock to the system, but it can be a matter of life and death, says the National Emergency Management Agency Te Rākau Whakamarumaru. "If you get an alert, you should stop and read the message, and take it seriously," NEMA civil defence emergency management director John Price said. "It will tell you what the emergency is, what to do and where to go for more information." A warning broadcast to your mobile phone, they've been around in New Zealand since 2017. They come with a loud buzz that can usually be heard even if you're on silent mode and a banner notification detailing the emergency. When you hear this, it's time to pay attention. They've been used for everything from tsunami warnings to dangerous fires to thunderstorms. Many other countries use them and they got a particularly good workout in New Zealand during the Covid-19 pandemic . More recently, in April, Auckland saw several emergency alerts during stormy weather over Easter weekend and a recycling plant fire that sent dangerous smoke soaring over the motu. About 200 alerts have been sent out since they began, many of them regional ones, NEMA communications manager Anthony Frith said. NEMA expects "about 5.5 million phones to go beep on Sunday". The annual test is an important way to make sure the system is working properly all across the country, Firth said. "We're always wanting to have that assurance that the system is working as it should. We need to have assurance that it's going to work for the whole country, if it's needed. "There will be a lot of people in Auckland who say, 'Oh, I just received an alert the other week', but there will be people who haven't received one since the last test." The test will go out to millions of phones on Sunday. Photo: RNZ/ Karoline Tuckey Alerts use cell broadcast technology known as geotargeting to send alerts through cell towers in a selected area - which can be the entire country, as in Sunday's test, or down to a small section of a city. New Zealand's system was provided by Dutch company one2many , which is now a division of Everbridge Public Warning , an American software company that specialises in alert systems. In a description of their technology , Everbridge says "one message can be sent to millions of devices within a target area in seconds". "A really oversimplified way of putting it, it's like a signal that your phone picks up, which is almost like radio," Frith said. When an alert is issued, the agency involved will select how big a region is covered, depending on the specific crisis. "The operator who sends the emergency alert will draw a polygon around that area, a shape they need to make sure is big enough to capture cell phone towers in the perimeter," Frith said. Auckland Emergency Management general manager Adam Maggs said, while targeted messages work well, who gets them varies, depending on a variety of factors. "In terms of one person [in a household] receiving a message and another not, this could be due to being just outside of the geographically targeted area. The boundary for the geotargeted area is not a 'hard' boundary and there can be message leakage, depending on the location of cell towers. "Other reasons include having a phone that may be older or has missed a software update, or the phone may not have had mobile reception." They don't. The system uses the cellphone network as a carrier of the notifications that NEMA or other emergency agencies send out. "Our system does not have any telephone numbers," Frith confirmed. "Once we've transmitted the message from our portal, it then goes to the cell towers." Heavy storms hit Auckland during Easter weekend, triggering some alerts. Photo: RNZ / Calvin Samuel Only certain agencies have the power to send out alerts - NEMA, Civil Defence Emergency Management groups, NZ Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Primary Industries. Maggs said there was a protocol in place around how the messages were sent. "For civil defence groups (like Auckland Emergency Management), the controller or group manager will make the final call to issue an alert for a hazard or warning that relates to their work. "Similarly, Fire and Emergency or NZ Police could issue an alert about a response that they are leading. We all use the same protocols to assess whether an EMA might be used, with criteria based on certainty, severity and urgency." The timing of emergency alerts during Auckland's Good Friday weekend storms was questioned. NEMA's Frith noted the fast-moving late night Friday thunderstorms were not preceded by a MetService warning. The next day, Saturday, saturated soil and people travelling triggered alerts that day . "We've got really clear protocol for use of the system," he said. "It's really important we don't overuse it, so we can only use it when an event is fairly certain and likely to be pretty severe. "We're not going to be able to issue an alert before every event happens." What appears to have been the first emergency alert sent out in New Zealand was a localised one about a New Plymouth ammonia leak in February 2018 . Then, during the Covid-19 pandemic that began in 2020, the agitated buzz of lockdown or new case announcements on our phones became commonplace. Covid was the first time alerts were used on a national level, Frith said. While we often see weather-related alerts, the alert system has a variety of applications. For instance, on 9 April, Greymouth sent out an emergency alert for a boil water notice, after possible contamination . Grey District Council communication and engagement manager Laura Mills said that call was made by the council's executive leadership team and emergency management staff, in consultation with NEMA. "It had to be determined if the boil water alert met the criteria," she said. "It did and a map was supplied, so phones in the affected area could be 'pinged'. "It definitely got the message out quickly and it helped ensure people took the message seriously." Boiling water may not seem to be the same as a tsunami alert, but it's an important health issue, Frith said, citing a 2016 camplyobacter outbreak in Havelock North that sickened thousands and left four people dead. "If you cast your mind back to what happened in Havelock North in 2016, over 5000 people got sick... so a boil water notice can actually be quite important." The first national emergency alerts were sent during the Covid-19 pandemic during Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's leadership. Photo: POOL / Stuff / Robert Kitchin The alert system generally reaches nine out of 10 phones, Frith said, but while it's an important tool, it's not meant to be the only way people learn about emergencies. "We want to stress that this is really valuable, but often nature is the first warning. "Other channels are really important. The media is the No.1 information channel in emergencies." The alert doesn't replace radio, the internet or the need to act when you see natural warning signs. "If you feel like your life is in danger, don't wait for an official warning or alert - take action and get yourself and your whānau to safety," NEMA's Price warned. "If floodwaters are rising, self-evacuate and move to higher ground. If you are near the coast and an earthquake is long or strong, get gone. "Move immediately to the nearest high ground or as far inland as you can." NEMA also said the annual alert test is a good time to examine emergency plans. The Get Ready website is full of information about how to do this. Frith acknowledged "we'll never get to 100 percent" coverage with the alerts. "There will always be a percentage of the population that don't have phones or don't have smartphones. There's no mass communication channel that will reach absolutely everyone." No. You can't choose not to receive an emergency alert - after all, the point is that it's meant to be used for an emergency. Because it's sent out over cell phone towers, there's no 'list' of names on it to be removed from. If you don't want to be disturbed by Sunday evening's test, you could turn off your phone entirely or switch to airplane mode. The flurry of alerts sent out in Auckland in April saw some backlash on social media. "We often receive feedback from Aucklanders asking to be removed from the EMA system [which is not possible]," Maggs said. "We get just as much feedback thanking us for an alert or update. This will always be the case and we are fine with that. "At the end of the day, our goal is to help Aucklanders stay as safe as possible in times of emergency and we will continue to work hard to ensure that." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
