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UPDATE: 911 back online across Nova Scotia

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After some outages Thursday morning, 911 services are fully online across Nova Scotia.

The Emergency Management Department issued an Alert Ready notification warning residents of a possible interruption to 911 service around 7 a.m.

But at about 9:30 a.m., they said the issue was resolved.

In a statement, the department said it was not an issue with the 911 system but the phone carriers.

The outages affected some wireless and VoIP users, also known as Voice Over Internet Protocol, which lets you call over the internet.

“Throughout the disruption, emergency officials worked closely with telecommunications providers and public safety answering points to monitor the situation and ensure alternative contact methods were available,” the statement said.

The outages were widespread across the country and are coming back online.

Bell Canada said they had an outage around 3:13 a.m. ET. They brought backup systems online to route emergency calls while they investigated.

Just after 9 a.m., Bell said in a statement that service has been fully restored. They are still investigating to determine the cause.

A spokesperson for the Emergency Management Department said Nova Scotia was affected with multiple outages.

It is still unclear how extensive the outage was or how it was caused.

More to come…

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Alert ends after police arrest armed suspect in Bedford

A man wanted in a Halifax‑area emergency alert has been arrested, according to the Nova Scotia RCMP.

Police ended the Alert Ready warning at 12:55 p.m. and said officers will remain in the Bedford area as the investigation continues.

The RCMP said the arrest was made with assistance from Halifax Regional Police. Police said the man was taken into custody in Bedford in relation to a shooting reported earlier in South Farmington.

Annapolis District RCMP said they continue to investigate that shooting.

The alert was first issued at 11:24 a.m. after police reported a man with a firearm on foot in the woods behind Sunnyside Mall.

The RCMP expanded the alert at 12:15 p.m. to include the wider Halifax Regional Municipality.

Halifax Regional Police said they had been searching for a 31‑year‑old man believed to be involved in a shooting in Annapolis Royal earlier in the day.

Police said his vehicle was found behind Sunnyside Mall and he was believed to be in the nearby woods.

Halifax Regional Police described the man as white, 6’3”, with brown hair and brown facial hair.

Before the arrest, police said he was considered armed and dangerous and urged residents to stay inside, lock their doors and report any sightings by calling 911.

Annapolis District RCMP said anyone with information that could help the South Farmington investigation should contact the detachment at 902‑825‑5504 or reach Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1‑800‑222‑TIPS.

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Alert Ready test alarm scheduled this week

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Another test of the National Public Alerting system is planned midweek.

An Alert Ready alarm will sound on phones, tv’s and radios on Wednesday and Thursday, depending on where you live.

Following the alarm, a bilingual message will state, “This is a test of the National Public Alerting System.”

In New Brunswick, the alert will sound at 10:55 am on Wednesday, while in Nova Scotia, it will go off at 1:55 pm the same day.

In Ontario, the test alert will sound on Thursday at 1:55 pm ET.

The Alert Ready was developed to enhance emergency preparedness and response in times of crisis.

It was developed with many partners, including federal, provincial and territorial emergency management officials, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pelmorex, the broadcasting industry and wireless service providers.

As of April 30 of this year, Alert Ready messages have been issued twice in New Brunswick, both for a civil emergency.

In Nova Scotia, Alert Ready messages have been used 13 times, 11 for civil emergencies and twice for explosive hazards.

Ontario has used the alert three times this year, for tornado warnings.

It is also Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada from May 3 to 9, an awareness campaign that helps to ensure you and your family are prepared in the case of an emergency.