The City of Saskatoon says Wednesday night’s city-wide notifynow message indicating two inmates had escaped the Regional Psychiatric Centre in the city’s northwest reached about 55 thousand residents. The City says both emails and text messages were issued with the email containing more information including up-to-date photos of the two inmates.

Pamela Goulden-McLeod, Director of Emergency Management says a city-wide notification will only be sent out if the situation is considered high-level and if residents are encouraged to take further action to protect themselves. Wednesday night’s message was the first time a city-wide notifynow alert was issued. Goulden-McLeod urges residents to sign-up for the notifynow service. You can sign up by clicking here. A notifynow test message will be issued on Wednesday, December 4th at 10 a.m.

On Wednesday night, police requested that a city-wide notice be issued after 24-year old Matthew Shaundel Michel and 29-year old Kendal Lee Campeau escaped custody. They have both been recaptured.

Goulden-McLeod says the City will conduct an after action report to see if everything went according to plan in regards to the city-wide notifynow message.