1 of 1- RadioActive
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Just When You Think The Emergency Alert System Has Been Fixed...
Not sure if anyone was listening to local radio between 2 and 3 PM Saturday afternoon, but every station was interrupted at least 4 times in the space of a single hour with one of those emergency alerts that most stations don't even realize has taken over their programming.
The first one was for the state of emergency declared in Fort Erie. That one aired twice. A few minutes later, another one came on for a different section of southwestern Ontario. It also cycled through two times. At the end of both of them, the AI voice tried to give a website for Environment Canada that started with https: and ended with God knows what. By the end, the message was so garbled no one could possibly know what "she" said.
But that wasn't the worst of it. A few minutes later came yet another interruption. Only this one was so bad, it sounded like a foreign language. And it took me a few minutes to figure out that it was - the same AI voice was reading the same warnings, only this time in French! Why this was airing on English radio stations in Toronto and the GTA is beyond me.
But everybody got interrupted two more times just the same, including CBC Radio 1, CFRB, AM640, CityNews 680 and even Sauga 960. But guess who didn't air it? CJBC. Yep, listeners to the only 50K French language radio station in Toronto that might have actually benefitted from the announcement never heard it. And really, you haven't lived until you hear this thing try to "speak" en francais.
Another great moment - several actually - in radio from the gang at Pelmorex. Are they ever going to get this thing to work properly?
- In Phase
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Re: Just When You Think The Emergency Alert System Has Been Fixed...
I believe the English messages you heard were the two listed below. French versions followed.
It is unfortunate that the creator of the message included the " " at the tail end of the message since the automated text-to-voice software will translate the text quite literally. Another case where the message creator does not follow the correct format. I will note that the wireless version of the same messages did not include the "https:.. " text.
The message creator also defines the area in which the messages are to be broadcast. If a broadcasters licensed signal area encompasses one or more of these areas, it will trigger the message to be broadcast.
Also, don't blame Pelmorex. They are the "aggregator" and distributor of the alert messages. They don't create them.
2:26:13pm
"The Town of Fort Erie is requesting that all non-emergency travel be avoided. Blizzard conditions continue. Venturing out could put you in extreme danger. Emergency first responders like police fire, and EMS may be physically unable to respond to calls. Hazards on the roadways include downed trees and hydro lines, drifting snow, flooding and abandoned vehicles. For weather alert information please see "
The text-to-voice audio file is here:
2:36:13pm
"The City of Port Colborne is requesting that all non-emergency travel be avoided. Blizzard conditions continue. Venturing out could put you in extreme danger. Emergency first responders like police fire, and EMS may be physically unable to respond to calls. Hazards on the roadways include downed trees and hydro lines, drifting snow, flooding and abandoned vehicles. For weather alert information please see "
The text-to-voice audio file is here:
- RadioActive
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Re: Just When You Think The Emergency Alert System Has Been Fixed...
Thanks for the update. My apologies to Pelmorex. However it's worth noting that if you can't understand what's being said, it's virtually useless - no matter how many times it airs in a given hour.
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