The SRD receives distant tsunami notification via Emergency Management BC and the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC). If a tsunami threat is identified, Emergency Management BC will activate the Provincial Emergency Notification System (PENS), which notifies the SRD with information on alert levels for the province’s five tsunami zones through:
- Email
- Phone call
- Social media
- Text message
- Environment Canada EC Alert
- Channel 16 marine radio
The SRD also receives tsunami alerts directly from the NTWC via SMS and NOAA weather radio.
The SRD follows best practice by having several different notification systems in place within our community to achieve maximum warning to the public. Best practice recognizes that in most cases, notification systems activated in a real event will have some level of malfunction or failure despite rigorous pre-event testing.
During a distant event, the SRD will make every effort to broadcast official tsunami alerts and information by email, telephone, and text message via the Connect Rocket Community system, as well as by social media, radio and/or door-to-door contact if possible. The communities of Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k:tles7et’h’ First Nation, Ehattesaht First Nation, Gold River, Tahsis and Zeballos all have their own tsunami sirens.
