Amber Alerts and Weather Alerts save lives. It is wonderful that Canada has a nation wide, immediate alert system.
However, the Alert Ready system is not fully accessible. Every time the Alert Ready tone is played before an alert, it causes some extreme anxiety and panic. This can impede their ability to take in the information and react appropriately to an immediate disaster.
We would like to have The Alert Ready sound recognized as a trigger for some sound sensitive individuals, and therefore, a human rights and accessibility issue. Some people have extreme sound sensitivity as part of autism or other neurological conditions.
We recognize the need for a national alert system. On phone, radio and television, the alert can be texted or read out without the tone.
Another option would be to gradually fade in the tone, as suggested in this other petition. (Warning, video plays tone). https://www.change.org/p/pelmorex-corp-improve-the-amber-alert-ready-system-for-more-acceptance
Some people have post traumatic stress disorder that is triggered by the content of an Amber Alert. We would like an option for persons with PTSD related to childhood trauma to turn off Amber Alerts on a phone. This is possible in the United States, but not currently in Canada.
We fully agree that Amber Alerts, man made and natural disaster alerts are life saving. We want an alert system that works for all.
