Emergency Notification System

Receive Local Emergency Notifications to your Cell Phone or Landline

The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD), City of Courtenay, Town of Comox, Village of Cumberland and K’ómoks First Nation have partnered together to distribute local emergency notifications by text message and voice calls through Connect Rocket. These notifications are intended to inform you about incidents that could impact you. By working together, we can take proactive steps to build a safer and more resilient community.

Register for Local Emergency Notifications

Select the communities in which you live, work and play. We encourage you to register for more than one list as it will ensure you receive the appropriate alerts in times when public health and safety maybe at risk.

Already have an account? Sign in to check your details and ensure everything accurate.

Other Ways to Register

Register by Phone

If you would prefer to register by phone for emergency notifications, call 250-334-6000 and a member of our team will call you back to assist. Please be ready with the below information to help the account creation process.

Name
Phone number(s) – landline and/or cellular
Which communities do you wish to receive alerts for? (Choose the communities in which you live, work and play). Note: You will receive separate notifications for each list you subscribe to.
- City of Courtenay
- Baynes Sound (Electoral Area A)
- Denman/Hornby Islands (Electoral Area A)
- Lazo North (Electoral Area B)
- Puntledge – Black Creek (Electoral Area C)
- Town of Comox
- Village of Cumberland
- K’ómoks First Nation (K’ómoks)
- Boil Water Notifications – Comox Valley Water Supply System Users
- Water Restrictions (Stage 3 and 4 only) – Comox Valley Water Supply System Users
  - Please note that notifications will not be sent for Stage 1 or Stage 2 restrictions
- Sewage Treatment Plant Odour/Noise Notifications – Comox Valley Water Pollution Control Centre Users

If you know someone who would like to receive notifications but is unable to sign up, you may either sign up for them or have them call the CVRD at 250-334-6000 to receive further support with registration.

Important Information

If your cell phone is put to ‘Do Not Disturb’ the alerts will not push past this setting. It is important you are aware of this. For example if an alert is distributed at night your cell phone will not ring or notify you.
If you’re within a cell phone ‘dead zone’ you will not receive the alert to your mobile device.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) landlines will not receive alerts in a power outage as they require both internet and power to work.
Connect Rocket will not work if there is no power, cell or internet service available.
It is important to note that when subscribing to lists, you may receive multiple notifications if the emergency notification is cross boundary as each list distributes a separate notification.
The phone number that Comox Valley Connect Rocket messages will be delivered from is 778-762-3510. Please program this number into your phone as Comox Valley Connect Rocket or Comox Valley Emergency Notifications.

For more emergency preparedness information, visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/beprepared

Frequently Asked Questions

The Alert Ready is a Canada-wide program that allows provincial/territorial emergency management organizations to issue emergency alerts. Alert Ready cannot be used by local governments at this time. These alerts are sent to all mobile devices in a specific area and no enrolment is required. To receive Alert Ready emergency alerts your wireless device must meet the required specifications. To learn more about this system visit https://www.alertready.ca/

The Connect Rocket system is a subscription based system that will allow local governments to distribute local emergency alerts to subscribers when public health and safety are at risk. The Connect Rocket system will send both text and voice calls to mobile phones and will also provide voice calls to landline phones. Registration for the alerts is required and residents are encouraged to sign up for notifications in the communities in which they live, work and play.
Connect Rocket is a tool to assist with delivering important information in times of distress. In situations where power and cell phone towers are down, the system will not be utilized. As with any emergency, preparedness is of utmost importance. Ensure you have a hand crank radio and 72 hour emergency kit. For more information and for tips on emergency preparedness, visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/beprepared
- VoIP calls to 9-1-1 do not go directly to 9-1-1 centres. If you dial 9-1-1 from a VoIP phone, your call will go to a third-party call centre and an operator will re-direct your call to the appropriate 9-1-1 centre.
- VoIP phones do not provide location information. It is crucial that your location information is up to date with your VoIP service provider, as the call-taker may assume that you are at the last registered address if you are not able to speak during a 9-1-1 call.
- As well, it is important to note that VoIP phones only work when there is power and internet.
- Contact your service provider to confirm whether you have a VoIP phone.
The BC Local Authority Emergency Management Regulations states that local authorities must ‘establish procedures by which those persons who may be harmed or who may suffer loss are notified of an emergency or impending disaster.’

This responsibility is recognized by public agencies, who rely on the local authorities to be the primary source of public emergency alerts. The Connect Rocket system provides residents meaningful local information and instruction to preserve life and property at time of an emergency.
Residents are being encouraged to register for the communities in which they live, work and play. If you have registered for City of Courtenay (as you work there), Puntledge- Black Creek (as you live there) and Village of Cumberland (as you frequently visit there) you will receive notifications for each community you registered for. If a local government decides that an alert should be distributed to more than one community list you will receive multiple alerts. In times of emergencies it is better to receive multiple alerts than no alert at all.

Residents will only be receiving notifications when health or safety is at risk. Once a year subscribers will receive a notification to check their accounts and to test the system.
Upon registering for Connect Rocket you would have set up an account with your email address and password. Visit https://comoxvalley.connectrocket.com/ and choose Sign In (top corner).

If you forgot your password follow the instructions. Once signed in you will be able to see phone numbers and members within your account you signed up for. You can adjust these lists and members by pressing edit. As well, you can add new members to your account on the main dashboard.

If you need assistance with your account or have questions please contact the Comox Valley Regional District at 250-334-6000.

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