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The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Get Alerts, Stay Alive

The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Get Alerts, Stay Alive.  2013 Illinois Emergency Management Agency Conference 05-06 September 2013 Wade Witmer, Deputy Director, FEMA IPAWS. What is the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System ? (IPAWS).

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The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Get Alerts, Stay Alive

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  1. The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Get Alerts, Stay Alive  2013 Illinois Emergency Management Agency Conference 05-06 September 2013 Wade Witmer, Deputy Director, FEMA IPAWS

  2. What is the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System?(IPAWS) THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A NON-WEATHER EMERGNECY MESSAGE BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SHELTER IN PLACE WARNING DANE COUNTY 911 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 1100 AM CDT MON APR 07 2003 ...SHELTER IN PLACE WARNING NEAR THE XYZ CHEMICAL PLANT NEAR DANE COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT… THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS BEING TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE DANE COUNTY 911 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER DUE TO A TOXIC GAS RELEASE. MADISON EMERGNCY SERVICES HAS ISSUED A SHELTER IN PLACE WARNING. THERE HAS BEEN A RELEASE OF BUTADIENE FROM XYZ CHEMICAL PLANT. THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND IS FROM THE NORTHEAST. THE WIND SPEED IS ABOUT 10 MILES PER HOUR. AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE... PEOPLE NEAR THE DANE COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT...AND WITHIN A 2 MILE RADIUS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER. SHELTER IN PLACE WARNING ACTIONS: 1. GO INSIDE 2. CLOSE ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS 3. TURN OFF ALL VENTILATION SYSTEMS 4. TUNE TO LOCAL NEWS MEDIA FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. $$

  3. What IPAWS is Not. IPAWS does not know your phone number! • Not a subscription based mass notification system • Not an ETN or reverse dial phone system • Not an SMS or email sign up system • Not a paging or limited distribution notification system • e.g. can’t send a recall notice to a select group of employees IPAWS Is for: • Emergency Alert and Warning information • i.e. not meant for messaging about changes to trash collection schedule • Alerting allcitizens in an given area IPAWS Can: • Activate EAS Radio and TV stations • Alert all (WEA capable) cell phones in a defined geographic area, even when cell networks are congested • Send a warning message for broadcast over NOAA Weather Radio

  4. IPAWS Users and Connections Status As of August 6th Alerting Authorities 132 County level w/ Public Alerting (170 County level in process for Public Alerting) 32 State level w/ Public Alerting (12 State level in process for Public Alerting) 2 Territory w/ Public Alerting NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (AMBER Alerts) Alert Dissemination Channels (public alerting systems) Local 26,000 EAS participants monitoring the IPAWS EAS Feed Emergency Alert System State All Hazards NOAA Weather Radio network NOAA IPAWS OPEN Territorial Wireless Emergency Alerts 56 Cellular Carriers connected Millions of handsets deployed Federal Internet Services 16 vendors with access to monitor IPAWS Public Feed FEMA doesn’t send Alerts FEMA is not an authorized Alerting Authority 5

  5. What the IPAWS-OPEN does A Gateway to “Alert Dissemination Channels” Alert Aggregation: • Authenticates sender • Web Service Security • Digital Signature • Validates message format • Verifies permissions • What alerts can you send • Where can you send them • How can you send them • Hands of alert messages to EAS, WEA, NOAA Weather Radio, Internet Apps

  6. Alert Dissemination Channels: • Emergency Alert System • TV, Radio, Cable, Satellite • ~26,000 connected via EAS Feed • Wireless Emergency Alerts • Opt-in Carriers • 56 connected via Fed Alert Gateway • National Weather Service • NOAA Weather Radio/HazCollect • 1000 WX transmitters • Interoperating Systems/Services • 26 connected via Public Alert Feed

  7. Emergency Alert System • All EAS Participants are required to monitor IPAWS for a national EAS emergency alert message • FCC deadline for EAS participants to begin receiving CAP formatted alerts from IPAWS was June 30, 2012 • Most participants have already installed updated equipment and are monitoring the IPAWS EAS Feed • 4 test messages (RWTs) per week are posted on the IPAWS EAS Feed • State and Local authorities use IPAWS to route alerts to local EAS stations • IPAWS complements - but does not replace - the systems states and locals are currently using for EAS EAS Participants are defined by the FCC’s EAS rules in C.F.R. 47 Part 11 and include all radio and television broadcast, cable, satellite, and wireline providers (e.g. Verizon FiOS or AT&T Uverse) 8

  8. Emergency Alert System Capabilities • Emergency Alert System (reality check) • Broadcasters are not required to air your alert (check your state EAS plan) • Broadcast footprint is very large • Potential for duplicate alerts (if multiple sources are used) • Rise of streaming media

  9. Enables 90 character, geographically targeted, emergency alerts to be broadcast to cellular phones in a defined alert zone Uses “cell broadcast”technology to avoid network congestion Different channel than voice, SMS, email or web Cellular carrier participation voluntary Most Commercial Mobile Service Providers (CMSP) have opted into WEA New phones are delivered opted-in Citizens may opt-out of receiving alerts IPAWS is the only way emergency managers can send Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) Significantly different from SMS/email based alerting systems Not subscription based -- true location based alerting via broadcast from cell towers Sends alerts to phones in an area - not to a database of phone numbers For “Alerts” only…. not for notification type messages Only for emergencies categorized as: Imminent Threat (Severity, Urgency, Certainty) AMBER / Child Abduction Emergency Presidential (*** Cannot Opt-Out ***) Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) • WEA use is free to alerters and alertees – no usage or text message charges 10

  10. Wireless Emergency Alert Capabilities • Wireless Emergency Alerts (reality check) • 90 characters only • Towers can “throw” alerts miles away • Not all handsets work • Duplicate alerts on some handsets • No “test code” • “Screechy” ring tone • Poor public outreach, “Why am I getting this?”

  11. NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio • The National Weather Service (NWS) All-Hazards Emergency Message Collection System, or HazCollect, enables emergency alert messages from local alerting authorities to be broadcast over local NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio transmitters • HazCollect can be accessed through IPAWS-OPEN connection • Permission to access Hazcollect must be coordinated and approved through the NWS in coordination with your local Weather Forecast Office • additional info at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/hazcollect/ • HazCollect interface between FEMA IPAWS and NOAA has been in place since 2010 12

  12. NOAA Weather Radio Capabilities • NOAA Weather Radio (reality check) • Separate authorization through NOAA required • HazCollect is an old systemwith “quirks” • Uses a different version of CAP • IPAWS doesn’t support “test code” • Not all households have one

  13. Internet Services / Applications • IPAWS publishes a Public Alerts Feed accessible by approved vendors through an MOA application process • Approved 3rdparty internet web services and application can monitor and retrieve public alerts in CAP format and post or distribute the alert information via their websites, apps, subscription services, etc. Computer or Smart Phone Apps Social Media, Subscription services Website pop-ups

  14. IPAWS is Just Another Tool in the Toolbox • Examples of Mass Communications Tools: • Social Media • Cell phones • Face book • Twitter • SMS • Email • Broadcast: Television, Radio, Newspaper • Message Boards • Giant Voice • Land Mobile Radios • SIRN (IPR) radios • Emergency Alert System (EAS) • Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) / • Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) • National Oceanic and Atmospheric • Administration (NOAA) • Internet Services • State / local Unique Alerting Systems

  15. WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS IN ACTION Super Storm Sandy October 2012 “This Emergency Alert just popped up on my phone. Ten seconds later, the TV went out. Here we go…” — Heidi N. Moore, October 30, 2012 “COOL TECH: Loud alarm and screen alert about #sandy making landfall in NYC.” — Sree Sreenivasan, October 28, 2012 “As Hurricane Sandy headed for the city two weeks ago, sirens began ringing on some New Yorkers’ cell phones. The alarms were accompanied by messages telling them to stay inside; not to drive; or for those in Zone A, to evacuate. -- New York Times, November 9, 2012 The emergency alerts showed up where and when they mattered.” -- O’Reilly Radar, October 30, 2012 16

  16. WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS IN ACTION “Boston officials did use cellphone text messages, known as Wireless Emergency Alerts, in the aftermath of the marathon bombings…the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency has the ability and authority to issue imminent threat WEA messages. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) issued a shelter-in-place order stating, “Shelter in place still in effect, it does not prevent employees from returning home –MEMA. Boston residents then spread the word by tweeting; the WEA messages are intended to sound a siren on their devices to alert people to pay attention and get more information elsewhere.” http://www.radioworld.com/article/report-boston-did-use-wireless-alerts/219096 April 24, 2013 Boston Bombings’ Man-Hunt

  17. I IPAWS Public Education Campaign • Ready.gov/Alerts Website • FEMA and the Ad Council produced Public Safety Announcements (PSAs) on Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) for distribution on radio and TV • “IPAWS for the American People” Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Web Based Training Course • IPAWS is working with Ready.gov to create content on Alerts and Warning for the Children’s Preparedness section

  18. Example of an Alerting Tool

  19. Information about tools and IPAWS • IPAWS Practitioner Webinars Good source for information tailored towards IPAWS users • Register for email announcements on webinar subjects and information at: • http://www.fema.gov/integrated-public-alert-and-warning-system-working-groups • Past webinar archives 20

  20. Current Practitioner Webinar Agenda = Tools • A six webinar series providing information about current IPAWS compatible alerting tools available on the market. • Each webinar features three IPAWS compatible tools. The vendor provides an overview and demonstration of their tool and answers a few questions from participants. • During the demonstration the vendor must detail how their tool meets four minimum IPAWS functions: • Demonstrate successful posting of an IPAWS-conforming Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) alert • Retrieve message status to verify alert was successfully transmitted to the intended audience • Demonstrate interoperable CAP exchange with other Collaborative Operating Groups (COG) • Verify connectivity with IPAWS (using the getAck function) • Schedule: 21

  21. Application Documentation MOA Application • Memorandum of Agreement • MOA Application identifies county organization name, POCs, alerting tools used • MOA establishes the relationship between the county and FEMA, connection, communications, security • Includes the Rules of Behavior defining official use, password rules, accountability MOA Rules of Behavior

  22. Public Alerting Authority Application Public Alerting Application • Public Alerting Application • Defines what areas you can alert, what event codes • Training Certificate • High level training on IPAWS alerting concepts • Strongly recommend specific training for your alerting tool, follow best practices, coordinate with state and neighboring counties Training Certificate

  23. Recommended! • Standard Public Alert Operating Procedures • Public outreach • Regular training, drill, and exercise

  24. For more information Email the IPAWS inbox: IPAWS@dhs.gov IPAWS Website:http://www.fema.gov/ipaws/ EMI Independent Study Course IS-247a:https://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is247a.asp Mailing list for IPAWS Webinar notices:http://service.govdelivery.com/service/subscribe.html?code=USDHSFEMA_165

  25. Contact Information Wade Witmer Deputy Director IPAWS National Continuity Programs U.S. Department of Homeland Security 500 C Street SW, Room 506 Washington, DC 20472 202.646.2523Office Wade.Witmer@dhs.gov INFO-IPAWS@fema.gov

  26. QUESTIONS?

  27. Walk Through MOA Form [1] Your county Emergency Management Agency title Who will sign? (usually the EMA director) Primary POC (who will process the paperwork?) Alternate POC The techno-geek (usually your comms person) 29

  28. Walk Through MOA Form [2] What software will you use? (ETEAM) Will you use this system to send alerts via IPAWS Purpose: “EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND INTEROPERABILITY SOFTWARE FOR THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA” Location: “Charleston, WV” Is it COTS? (yes) What company? (NC4/ETEAM) Acknowledge that IPAWS doesn’t process Classified What kind of data: “unclassified alert and emergency response information” Who is your software vendor POC? Amber Arnold, Support Specialist, amber.arnold@nc4.us, 703-221-7707 30

  29. Walk Through Alerting Authority Form COG ID#: This will be assigned later, leave it blank What kind of alerts do you want to send? (usually all are checked) Are you alerting for the whole state? (no) What county are you alerting for? (we can fill in the FIPS code for you) What kind of emergencies will you alert for? (usually all except AVW, NUW, VOW, AVA, CAE, RMT) Jimmy fills this part out indicating that the state has coordinated with the county in accordance with state alert and warning plans 31

  30. Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) Alerts Visualization Tool • for viewing active alerts posted to IPAWS Public Alerts Feed • Available at https://giistg.ardentmc.net/oneview/ using HSIN log-on credentials

  31. HSIN Alerts Visualization Tool • Ingests alerts from the IPAWS Public Feed and overlays the alerts onto map viewer • Example below displays NWS flash flood warning areas as identified in the NWS warning posted to IPAWS

  32. HSIN Alerts Visualization Tool • NWS alert information and details of the flood warning accessible in a pop-up display when alert selected in tool

  33. WEA Compatible Phones (asof June27, 2013) 12

  34. WEA Compatible Phones (as of June27, 2013) AT&T http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB410692&cv=820#fbid=IP2-rWpo5wZ Sprint http://community.sprint.com/baw/community/buzzaboutwireless/services/messaging/wireless_emergency_alerts_-_cmas?view=overview T-Mobile http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/default.aspx?features=a9140e65-fb7b-42f2-88e5-454b2ed235af Verizon Wireless http://m-support.verizonwireless.com/clc/faqs/Wireless%20Service/emergency_alerts_faq.html US Cellular http://www.uscellular.com/websearch/searchresults.html?q=CMAS-Capable+phones CELLCOM http://www.cellcom.com/faq_qa.html?categoryid=19 CRICKET http://www.mycricket.com/support/topic/commercial-mobile-alert-system-cmas 13

  35. WEA Public Service Announcement Link to PSA on FEMA website: http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/12177 FEMA Ready.gov site about emergency alerts: http://www.ready.gov/alerts

  36. Alerts via IPAWS Sent So Far (Nation Wide ) (as of April 16, 2013) (as of July 9, 2013)

  37. Emergency Alert System Capabilities • Emergency Alert System • Trigger TV and Radio alerts via IPAWS • FCC requires all licensees to monitor feed • Supports audio attachments (mp3) • Supports audio links • Text to speech for radio

  38. NOAA Weather Radio Capabilities • NOAA Weather Radio • Non Weather Emergency Messages through the NOAA HazCollect system • 1000 transmitters nationwide • (162.400-162.550 MHz) • Alert can wake up radio in the middle of the night • Most schools have them

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