Administrative Instruction
CBO – CFS Alert
The Station
CFS Alert has a strength of approximately 55 personnel normally; however the numbers will increase to
approximately 130 over the summer months. CFS Alert is divided into regular station sections:
Administration, Operations, Construction Engineering, Transport, Maintenance, Supply, and Food
Services. Environment Canada also has an upper air meteorological service located at CFS Alert. Each
spring as the daylight period arrives, the complement of personnel and related activity increases
proportionately as new construction projects and preventive maintenance get under way.
CFS Alert is on Ottawa time either Eastern Standard or Daylight Saving.
Mail Service
Mail is brought to and from CFS Alert normally on a weekly basis via Service Flight 85. All mail
addressed to CFS Alert must be sent through the normal Canada Post system to Belleville, Ontario.
From there the Military postal system will take over and finish the journey to Alert. This sometimes results
in a delay in mail arriving in Alert as there is only one flight per week and it is on a space available basis.
The postal address for all personal mail sent to Alert is as follows:
First and Last Name
House Name
Canadian Forces Station Alert
PO Box 5210, Stn Forces
Belleville, Ontario
K8N 5W6
The Trading Post
This facility is the only store in town. It carries a very limited selection of personal hygiene items, snacks,
giftware, and various souvenirs. It also carries a good selection of T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, and Toques.
Payment for items may be by cash, Visa, MasterCard or Interac Banking. No personal cheques are
accepted. It is recommended that individuals bring enough hygiene items such as soaps, shampoos and
moisturizers to last for the duration of the tour as these items tend to be in short supply.
Service Facilities
Each barrack block is divided into four units otherwise known as “houses”. Accommodation is on the
basis of one person per room in most cases with a shared bathroom. Each house is provided with
complete facilities including automatic washers and dryers. There is a common room in each house
equipped with TV, DVD player, a stereo and a small Kitchenette, Each room has individual heat control
and the quarters have a recirculation system that keeps an even flow of air to all rooms.
Internet service is available at various locations throughout the station. However do to the remote
location, the service tends to be slow and the numbers of available computers for use by individuals are
limited. You are welcome to bring along your own laptop for personal computer use such as storing
photographs and watching movies however it cannot be hooked up to the internet.
Administration: Emergency Phone Numbers
Family members who need to get in touch with persons in Alert for emergencies should first contact the
Canadian Base Operators, Collingwood Ontario Office who will then contact Alert.
During Working Hours the office can be reached at: 705-446-9019.
After Hours call: 519-375-0903
You will be asked to leave a name, number, and a message to be passed on to Alert.
Travel to CFS Alert
Three types of aircraft are used to transport personnel in and out of Alert. CC130 Hercules, C17
Transport plane and 737 service through Air Inuit. All of these flights originate at CFB Trenton. From
Trenton, the military aircraft goes to Thule, Greenland, a flight of approximately 6.5 hours. The aircraft
then will stay in Thule overnight and continue on to Alert the following day. The flight from Thule to Alert
takes approximately 90 minutes. Air Inuit, 737 service goes straight to Alert with fuel stops in Iqaluit and
Resolute Bay.
Inclement weather could result in a longer stay in Thule or an unscheduled stopover in the Canadian
Arctic.
All CBO personnel going to Alert will be issued a Travel Advance of Canadian and US dollars. These
funds are to be used for purchase of meals and accommodation at Thule Air force Base. The rooms at
Thule cost approximately $35.00 (US) per night. The extra cash is required in case of an extended stay
due to inclement weather. Everyone will be required to sign for the Travel Advance and produce receipts
for anything they spend. Any money not spent to cover travel costs is to be turned in to the
Administrative Staff at CFS Alert.
Baggage
Personnel are limited to 100 lbs of personal baggage including 40 lbs of Arctic Clothing. All personnel
going to Alert will be issued a set of Environmental Clothing consisting of parka, overalls, winter rated
workboots, mitts, toque, balaclava and wind pants. These items are to be carried on to the aircraft,
regardless of the season, and kept in close proximity. No one will be permitted aboard the aircraft without
these items present.
Checked baggage will not be removed from the plane during the overnight stop in Thule, so each person
is required to bring an overnight bag as carry on.
Because the flights are routed through the United States Air Force Base at Thule, Greenland, personnel
arriving at CFS Alert are required to clear Canada Customs. This is done through the Station Traffic
Technician in his/her capacity as Customs and Excise Enforcement Officer. Signed customs declarations
will be returned to Thule for review. Personnel are subject to applicable duties on purchases made at
Thule as required by law. All persons returning from Alert are required to go through customs on arrival
at the terminal in Trenton.
Clothing
All Non-Management employees of CBO Alert will be issued a uniform consisting of a variety of shirts,
turtlenecks, golf shirts, pants etc. These uniforms are to be worn at all times while on duty. All items,
including the outerwear, are machine washable and are to be kept clean and in good condition. Trades
persons will be issued coveralls to be worn while working in the shop. Cleaning and Kitchen Staff will be
issued 5 sets of uniforms and scrubs depending on the position.
Boots and or over boots must be worn at all times while in Alert and must be removed upon entering any
building. This is required because of the soil and climatic conditions. Environmental Clothing should be
clearly marked for ease of identification.
The following items are suggested articles to bring to Alert:
Work Clothes
Blue Jeans (2 pair)
Casual Pants
Sports/Gym Clothing
Sweaters
Blouses
Casual Shirts
Thermal Underwear
Socks
Housecoat
Slippers
Sleep wear
Lighter Jacket (From -5 to +8 degrees for the summer months)
Towels
Face Cloths
Each person will be issued 1 set of Bed Linen.
Camera and Binoculars
Preferred Toilet Articles (only minimal brands are available in Alert)
Hobby Items
Extra pair of eyeglasses or contacts
Sunglasses
Enough prescription medication to last through your tour, plus one month.
Alarm Clock
Clothes Hangers
Firearms, Knives and alcohol are not permitted on the flight or in living quarters.
Finances
Wages will be deposited in a pre-arranged bank account every Thursday. A normal rotation for full time
employees is 3 months on site and 1 month off. The month off site is paid at full wages and benefits.
Part time employees will be laid off, on departure from Alert and issued a Record of Employment. They
will then be reinstated if they return for subsequent rotations. In some cases, individuals may be able to
claim EI for their time off site however qualifying time varies region by region. You are advised to check
with your regional EI office to determine if you qualify. Normally, the sum of $200.00 per month will
suffice for cash purposes while at CFS Alert. Interac withdrawals are available from the Trading Post
however amounts are limited. Food and lodging are provided free of charge.
Medical
All personnel deployed to Alert must first be given a Certificate of Medical Fitness. If you require
prescription medication, ensure that you have enough to carry you over your tour plus an extra month in
case your departure should be delayed for any reason. The only medical staff at CFS Alert is a
Physician’s Assistant. Ensure your eye glasses are in good repair. It is a good idea to take along an
extra pair, in case of breakage or loss. Sunglasses are necessary at CFS Alert because there is nothing
to shade the sun. During the light period, the sun reaches a point where it shines 24 hours a day.
Telephone Calls
All personnel have the privilege of daily scheduled telephone calls. The phone calls range in length from
15 to 30 minutes
We believe your stay at CFS Alert will be rewarding both professionally and personally. The
information contained in this document is to provide you with information to help you prepare for
your employment in one of the most unique and challenging places on Earth and give you a
general idea of what CFS Alert is all about. Steven Watt, General Manager, would like to take this
opportunity to welcome you to Canadian Base Operators.