Phones, TV's, and radios across Canada are expected to receive an emergency alert test this afternoon.

The test is the second of its kind by Alert Ready system after their first attempt back in May failed in parts of Canada, with only about 60 per cent of people receiving it.

Ed Fonger, occupational health and emergency management coordinator for the City spoke about why it's important the alert system works.

"It's all about preparedness," he said. "The sooner we can get the information out the to the people, the better we have a chance of ultimately saving lives and preparing people." 

The alerts are believed to appear on updated and compatible devices connected to LTE wireless networks at 1:55 p.m.