An alert system for providing the capability for a care giver or technologist in a medical procedure room such as the magnet room of an MRI installation to send an alert signal to personnel outside the magnet room. The system includes an alert device in the procedure room with an alert switch, and a wireless signal transmitter for generating encoded alert signals upon activation of the alert switch. An alert control system in the control room of the installation includes a signal receiver, an audio transducer and a controller, the controller responsive to alert signals received from the alert device to generate alert signals including generating audio signals from the audio transducer. In one embodiment, the alert device includes a microphone, with one-way or two-way communication between the alert device and the control system.