Integrated Public Alert & Warning SystemIPAWS

An Overview

October 14, 2021

IPAWS

• Simply put -• IP-based enhancement to public alert and warning• An addition to legacy Emergency Alert System (EAS) -- not replacement• Utilizes standardized, internationally-accepted language known as Common

Alerting Protocol (CAP)• Goal: 1 alert to multiple communications pathways

• Components:• Emergency Alert System (EAS) = radio and television broadcast • Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) = cellular phone distribution• Non-Weather Emergency Messages via NOAA Weather Radio• Internet-based services• Future systems

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What is IPAWS?

IPAWS

•FEMA’s role*:• Development, operations, and maintenance of IPAWS Open Platform for

Emergency Networks (OPEN) (including EAS) • Partnering with the private sector communications industries• Technical assistance to STTL governments

• Federal Partners• State, Territorial, Tribal and Local• Other government agencies

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What is IPAWS?

*in accordance with Public Law 114-143 - The IPAWS Modernization Act of 2015; Executive Order 13407 - Public Alert and Warning System; and the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Sec. 202. Disaster Warnings

MOA Process Alerting Authorities CAP Software IPAWS-OPEN Gateway IPAWS Pathways Public

State agencies

Territorial agencies

Tribal governments

Local authorities

Federal authorities Emergency Alert System

Wireless Emergency Alerts

NOAA Weather Radio

Internet-based Services

IPAWS ARCHITECTURE

IPAWS OPEN

Authorities originate a CAP message via CAP-compliant tool. The message is posted to IPAWS OPEN.

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CAP

IPAWS OPEN i) validate proper CAP format; ii) verifies Sender and Sender permissions; iii) disseminates to pathways.

Future Technologies

Simultaneous dissemination pathways.

IoTs

IPAWS

• Federal Partners• National Weather Service (NWS)• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)• Unites States Geological Survey (USGS)

• State, Territorial, Tribal and Local• Other government agencies

• Port Authority of NY & NJ• State Universities• Airports

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Who can use IPAWS?

IPAWS

• Emergency Alert System (EAS)• Broadcast• Large footprint• County-based

• Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) • Broadcast• Medium footprint• Geo-fence via polygon

• NOAA Non-Weather Emergency Messages (NWEM)• Broadcast• Large footprint• County-based

• Internet-based services• Redistribution via several technologies

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Benefits of Using IPAWS

IPAWS

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IPAWS-OPEN Snapshot June, July, and August 2020

WEA (Mobile Phone Alerts):

• 2,117 total alerts from 179 different Agencies/Jurisdictions– 168 Fire/Evacuation Warnings– 170 Alerts related to Demonstrations– 109 Hurricane Warnings

*For Demonstrations - WEA’s have been utilized to provide critical information about curfews, road closures, and public transportation cancellations as well as other public safety information

EAS (Broadcast TV and Radio Interruption):

• 227 total alerts from 81 different Agencies/Jurisdictions– 74 Fire/Evacuation Warnings– 28 Alerts related to Demonstrations

*The National Weather Service (NWS) does not use IPAWS to send Hurricane Warnings overEAS

IPAWS

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IPAWS-OPEN Examples• 517 Alerts sent for COVID-19

• 428 WEA messages• 89 EAS messages

• Sent by 116 Alerting Authorities within• 30 States• 1 Tribal Nation• 2 Territory

https://dcist.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/03/Image-from-iOS-4.jpghttps://laistassets.scprdev.org/i/19839d0efe95af94ee84701ff3aebbb8/5e7ea467b18a9b000a3f58f4-eight.jpg

https://dfw.cbslocal.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15909545/2020/07/Screen-Shot-2020-03-19-at-4.13.21-PM-6.jpg

IPAWS

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IPAWS-OPEN Examples• Civil Unrest – 290

Alerts• 247 WEAs • 43 EAS

• 64 Alerting Authorities

• 27 states• 1 territory

IPAWS

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Unique Uses

• California Highway Patrol (CHP)

• Tiny URLs• Twitter

Twitter benefits: • Can handle the traffic• Serves as a means for additional

information• POC available to assist with

account setup

IPAWS

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SMS vs. WEASMS via text message• Opt-in• Service congestion• Not specific to

handset location• No unique attention

tone

WEA via cellular broadcast• Not subscription based• No network congestion• Specific to handset

location• Unique attention tone• 90/360 character

message that can include clickable URL and phone number.

IPAWS

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Mass Notification System & IPAWSMethod Emergency Use Considerations

Mas

s Not

ifica

tion

Syst

em

Social Media - Who’s following you?- How often do you post?- Open to public comment which may not be helpful

Text Messages/Email - Subscription-based - Congestion- How many people have registered?

Reverse Dial Back - How current is your database?- Congestion

Local Media - Procedures/protocols

Siren System - Do people know what it means?- Do you have transient population?

IPAW

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Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) - Cellular broadcast to cell phones

Emergency Alert System (EAS) - Interrupts Radio and TV

NOAA Non-Weather Emergency Messages (NWEM) - NOAA Weather Radios

Internet-based Services - Redistribution mechanisms

IPAWS

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Alerting Hierarchy Example

IPAWS

• WEA 1.0• Go live Apr 12, 2012• 90 characters• 3 alert classes• Best approximation of polygon

• WEA 2.0• Go live Dec 18, 2019• 360 characters optional• Spanish language optional• 5 alert classes

• WEA 3.0• Go live Dec 18, 2019• 100% of area with < 0.1 mile overshoot• Requires new cellular handsets• Currently only 1/3 of cell phones in use support 3.0

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WEA Version Comparison

• WEA 2.0 and 3.0 capabilities were fielded simultaneously

• Requires updates by:• Alerting software• FEMA IPAWS-OPEN• Wireless Providers• Cell phones

IPAWS

• English & Spanish• English required; Spanish optional

• IPAWS does not translate to Spanish• Avoid accents and special characters• Applies to EAS and WEA

• More characters for WEA• 360 characters optional• 90 characters required

• BLU Alert• Law enforcement emergency

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IPAWS OPEN - WEA Enhancements

• Not all software vendors support enhancements

• Not all cell phones support WEA 2.0/3.0(but they will support 1.0)

TRANSITION takes PATIENCE

IPAWS

• Geo-Targeting• No more than 0.10 mile overshoot of polygon• Must limit CAP message to 10 shapes and 100 total polygon points

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IPAWS OPEN - WEA Enhancements

Geo-targeting is not a light switch!• Not all cell phones are capable

• Software updates needed• Lifecycles for new products

vary

Circle with 0.10 overshoot (not to scale)

IPAWS

WEA 1.0 & 2.0 Geotargeting

WEA 1.0 & 2.0 devices do not know where the alert is targeted• Geo-coordinates (polygon, circle, geocode) are not

delivered to the device.• Thus, the device will present the WEA upon receipt,

independent of location

Cell towers whose RF signal “touch” the alert area will broadcast the WEA.

Consequences:• Dependent on RF coverage• RF does not obey “boundaries”• Overshoot & Undershoot

All WEA 1.0 & 2.0 devices depicted will display the WEA

Majority of phones today

IPAWS

Geo-Targeting – Transition Period• There WILL be bleed over

• Make sure your messaging takes this into account!

• Include a cell tower within the polygon• Testing should provide more insight into this requirement• Geo-fencing prevents bleed-over… for 1/3 of users at this time

• Older phones may not support geo-fencing at all• What percentage? Which phones?

• Be aware, be patient – it’s a transition period• How does/should this affect your use of WEA?

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Beware: Transition Period

IPAWS

Android: Addition of Public Safety Alert Category-Automatically opted IN

To opt in State/Local WEA Tests:Open the Phone app and tap Keypad.

To turn it on: Enter *5005*25371# and tap call. You’ll then receive a message stating "Test alerts enabled.”

To turn it off: Enter *5005*25370# and tap call. You’ll then receive a message stating "Test alerts disabled."

iPhone: 7 Screenshot –Running on iOS 12.2 (updated on 4/18/2019)

Handset Updates

IPAWS

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NWEM Has Arrived!

During 2021, National Weather Service (NWS) offices implemented a new capability allowing Non-Weather Emergency Messages (NWEMs) to be channeled from IPAWS to NWS for broadcast over NOAA Weather Radio (NWR).

Receive Notification of Incoming Alert in NWS

AWIPS

WFO staff review/adjust alert

Place alert message in NWR broadcast suite for alert duration

IPAWS

• Prepare• Understand local hazards• Know your IPAWS alerting permissions (e.g., event types)• Establish protocols and procedures• Build templates• Train personnel• Use the IPAWS Lab regularly to practice• Exercise IPAWS during local exercises & tests

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IPAWS Alerts – Best Practices

IPAWS

• Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)• Use polygons (if not going county-wide)• Message content (90/360 characters)

• What is going on?, Where?, Action?• Sender, if possible

• Know how to Update and Cancel WEAs• Include URLs and phone numbers• Be smart with abbreviations – make sure content makes sense• Do not use special characters (e.g., &, *, ~, etc)• Do not cut and paste from Word (notepad should be ok)

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IPAWS Alerts – Best Practices

IPAWS

• Emergency Alert System (EAS)• Know what your broadcasters will carry

• EAS is voluntary• Build relationships

• Use audio attachments• Text-to-speech may garble message

• Craft message phonetically (e.g., 911 may be pronounced nine-eleven; 9 1 1 will be pronounced nine one one)

• CAP Description = alert information• CAP Instruction = action (do not duplicate CAP Description and CAP

Instruction because the two fields are concatenated • Do not use special characters (e.g., &, *, ~, etc)• Do not cut and paste from Word

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IPAWS Alerts – Best Practices

IPAWS

• Allow ‘live’ test of WEA• FCC Waiver not needed for WEA Test RWT, RMT, or DMO

• Waiver Request required for other event types• Public outreach not necessary

• Non-invasive• Public not disrupted (WEA test code is opted-out by default on cell phones)• Fielded monitors will need to opt-in to receive test

• Analyze results• Evaluate potential WEA coverage• Evaluate SOPs, process, and effectiveness

• Use during exercises - capture actual results AARs

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Purpose of WEA Test Codes

IPAWS

• Required Weekly Test (RWT)*• Best and safest option to avoid public disruption and mistakes

• Required Monthly Test (RMT)• Mandatory broadcast by broadcasters and cable operators

(within 59 minutes of receipt)• Risk EAS activation if EAS channel is accidently included in

WEA test

• Demonstration Message (DMO)• Outlined in state EAS plans• Used for particular purposes (e.g., siren system testing, EAS

audio quality, etc.)

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RWT, RMT & DMO Defined

*Note – RWT does not mean you are required to perform a ‘live’ test weekly; this only applies to broadcasters with regards to EAS, NOT emergency management

IPAWS

• Use Required Weekly Test (RWT)• Test text should state “test” and

“no action required”• Utilize 90 and 360 characters,

English and Spanish• Note: 360 is NOT a continuation of

90 characters

• Use a polygon – test it • Include URL – test click-ability• Include phone number – test

click-ability

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IPAWS PMO Recommendations

IPAWS

IPAWS

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IPAWS OPEN

Emergency

IPAWSLAB

devices at the IPAWS Lab only

Emergency

Live

Test Environment

Live networks = people’s TVs, radios &cell phones!

TestCertificate

ProductionCertificate

An “offline” version of IPAWS

The IPAWS Lab Test/Demo Environment

IPAWS

• Began Nov. 2019• Submit a successful message to the IPAWS Lab Test/Demo

Environment - once a month• Not scheduled - any date/time within the month• Send EAS and/or WEA, depending on your alerting permissions• Use any approved event code• Message content not evaluated• No need to include a polygon• Use IPAWS Message Viewer for confirmation

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Proficiency Demonstration

*NOTE – A live alert does not count towards the proficiency demonstration; must send 1 alert per month to the IPAWS Lab Test/Demo regardless actual usage

Increase IPAWS user proficiency, and reduce alerting errors.

IPAWS

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Huh, What’s the Difference?

A live alert or WEA Test Alert (RWT) does not count towards the proficiency demonstration; must send 1 alert per month to the IPAWS Lab Cloud regardless actual usage

So different….IPAWS Lab Cloud Environment

• Practice, train & exercise

• Proficiency Demonstration

Live Environment

• Live Alert

• WEA Test Alert

IPAWS

Mini-Scenarios for multiple types of incidents

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Scenario based Monthly Demos

IPAWS

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The IPAWS TSSF

Technical Support Services Facility – National Harbor, Maryland24/7 number: 1-84-IPAWSLAB or 1-844-729-7522

IPAWS

• Purpose• To help you!• Train and re-train• Participate in exercises• Assess and evaluate capabilities

• Benefits• Safe/closed system• Assess unique alerting situations• Establish procedures and protocols

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The IPAWS Lab Test/Demo Environment

IPAWS

• Web interface for Lab Test/Demo environment only (not available in live environment)

• Verify alert • Includes WEA 2.0 results

• 90 and 360 characters• English and Spanish

• Available 24/7

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IPAWS Web Viewer

IPAWS

• All-Hazards Feed – What is it?• All alerts posted to IPAWS also post to the All-Hazards

Feed• IP-based services pull message content from the All-

Hazards Feed and redistribute content various ways• E.g., digital signage, siren systems, desktop alerting, speakers, kiosks, etc.

• Alerts are available for 20 minutes and then cleared

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IPAWS Alerts – Best Practices

IoTs

IPAWS

• Considerations• Multi-jurisdictional/regional • Back-up• Special events• Geography• High tourist area

• Requirements• Coordination/agreements• State approval• Update Public Alerting Application

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Cross-Jurisdictional Alerting

IPAWS

• Thunder Over Louisville 2019• Airshow – fireworks display in Louisville, KY

(Kentucky Derby Kickoff)• Large crowds – both sides of Ohio River• Concern:

• Event could affect residents in 2 counties located in Indiana

• Solution:• Temporary permission to alert across border

requested• Coordination efforts with all parties• Both state representatives agreed• FEMA adjusted permissions for the weekend

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Cross-Jurisdictional Example

IPAWS

• Navajo Nation –Permanent Solution

• 3 States – 11 Counties

• Arizona• Navajo County• Apache County • Coconino County

• Utah• San Juan County

• New Mexico• San Juan• McKinley County• Cibola County• Sandoval County• Bernalillo County• Socorro County

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Cross-Jurisdictional Example

Integrated Public Alert & Warning SystemIPAWS

QUESTIONS or COMMENTS?

Please contact us at IPAWS@fema.dhs.gov

IPAWS

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Improved WEA Features

• Public Safety Category– What’s if for?– How it displays on phones

WEA 90 Character Template

[Hazard] in [Location] [Guidance/Action] go to [URL or phone number] for information [Source]

Example – 89 characters

WEA 90 Character Guidance• Required• Limited characters are challenging• Use smart abbreviations• Keep in mind non-locals will receive WEA –

do not abbreviate or use acronyms that locals only understand

• At minimum – include in message:• Brief description• Location• Action• URL or phone number for more

information (if possible)• Source (if possible)

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Police activity at 301 & Rte 5 road closures avoid area Go to Bit.ly/xxxx for info CC-EMA

Template

WEA 360 Character Template

Example – 291 characters

WEA 360 Character Guidance• Recommended• Provides more information to public• Keep in mind non-locals will receive WEA –

do not abbreviate or use acronyms that locals only understand

• Include in message:• Source• Description of event• Location• Action to take• URL or phone number to direct people

to more information• Tiny URL services save space and

can link to social media sites for info, pictures, maps, etc.

• Plan ahead – linked site must be capable of handling thousands of hits

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Template[local, familiar, authoritative message source]. [description of threat or event] in [location and consequences]. [Protective Action]. [URL, phone number, media for more information]

DC Emergency Management notification.Suspicious package at Washington Monument. Police activity in surrounding area near 15th and 17th streets. Possible hazardous material. Avoid area, stay indoors and away from windows. Go to bit.ly/XXXX or tune to local media for more information.

IPAWS

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Refining WEA Message