We're using the Alertable app to send alerts about significant local emergencies.
Alerts deliver information and safety instructions that can be life-saving.
Alertable is for anyone, at any stage of emergency preparedness. When you receive an alert for a significant emergency from the City, you will receive clear and direct instructions on how to stay safe.
Download Alertable
The Alertable app is free and can be downloaded from your mobile phone, tablet, computer, or smart speaker.
It’s easy to get alerts. Just download the free Alertable app for iOS or Android smartphones.
Personalize your settings
After downloading the app, follow the in-app instructions for set-up. You will be asked to set your preferences for critical alerts and advisory alerts. Critical alerts are issued for extremely severe events that may require immediate action. Advisory alerts are issued so you are aware and can prepare for an event.
To change your settings later, open the app and select ‘Settings’ to adjust and personalize alerts and sounds.
The Alertable app is used by various local governments to send alerts. You will also receive geographically relevant alerts from other sources, such as the provincial BC Emergency Alert System, Environment Canada, and Drive BC.
In the app settings, manage notification sounds and the types of alerts you would like to get.
Change the ‘advisory’ alert sound
When turning off the advisory alert sound:
You will get the advisory notification
There will be no sound interruption
You will still be able to view and read the notification
In the Alertable app, select:
‘Settings’
‘Sound’ to make your selection
Important note You will continue to receive critical alerts, which can't be turned off in the app.
Select advisories of a specific type (example: weather)
There are multiple types of alert categories.
You can turn alerts on or off depending on what you are interested in. For example, turn off ‘Transportation incident’ to stop receiving highway advisories from Drive BC, or turn it on to keep receiving these notifications.
In the Alertable app, select:
‘Settings’
'Type’ to make your selection
Only receive critical alerts, not advisories
This will allow you to no longer receive advisory alerts of any kind (including advisories from the City of Vancouver). This is not recommended.
Add at least 1 location, such as an address, neighbourhood, city, or province. When you add a location, you will receive alerts for that area.
If you would like to receive any alert sent to any part of the city of Vancouver, add ‘Vancouver, BC, Canada’ as one of your locations.
If you would like to add more locations, such as a work location or where a loved one lives, you can add locations in ‘Settings’. If you select multiple locations, you will receive notifications from agencies that issue alerts in those locations.
Follow Me
By turning on ‘Follow Me’, you will receive alerts that are issued for your phone’s current location, even if it is a location you have not self-selected in your settings. You will receive notifications from agencies that issue alerts in those locations.
Important note When visiting other communities or regions, check which system is used locally to issue alerts in case a different public alerting system is used.
Alerts issued through the Alertable app will be used in addition to our standard emergency notification practices, such as door-knocking performed by emergency crews. We use several methods to notify people and provide safety instructions.
The Alertable app will be displayed in the same language as what is set on your device’s system. Alerts and instructions are delivered by the City in English; however, you have the option to use the in-app machine translation for more than 30 languages.
Information icon Machine translation is not verified by the City, so accuracy and complete translations may be limited.
The Alertable app complies with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA.
BC Emergency Alert System
Alertable and the BC Emergency Alert System are not the same.
The BC Emergency Alert System can notify you of specific events, like tsunami or earthquake early warnings.
The Alertable app will notify you of significant local emergencies and instructions. Unless you change your settings, Alertable displays relevant BC Emergency alerts for your location, which you can get through your data or wifi. It can also be translated in-app.
BC Emergency Alert System can issue emergency alerts through compatible wireless devices and major television and radio broadcasters. You don't need to sign up for the BC Emergency Alert System.
