Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)

The general public needs to be notified or warned well in advance through official channels of communication of the possible occurrence of natural and man made disasters as well as environmental hazards. This gives them the necessary time to make precautionary arrangements and safeguard their assets and property, thereby preventing widespread damage and losses. The need calls for a technically robust yet adaptable mechanism through which information can be shared efficiently.

The Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) is this mechanism through which various emergency notification systems that use the common alerting protocol (CAP) can be brought together under one roof in order to provide an integrated solution. For the sake of convenience, IPAWS has been segregated into four main wings –

The Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and Emergency Alert System (EAS) were tested on a nationwide scale on October 3, 2018. The tests were a joint venture between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Since response and recovery measures were still underway in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, the tests were postponed from the initial date, September 20, to the alternate date that had been reserved, October 3. The WEA and EAS tests were conducted at 2:18 pm and 2:20 pm EDT, respectively.

The objectives of this exercise were to conduct a thorough study of the system’s infrastructural capabilities in delivering a pan country emergency message and identifying key areas for improvements as well.

The test on October 3 was specifically important for FEMA as it was the first time both EAS and WEA were tested together in a simulated nationwide disaster scenario. In times of emergency, it is crucial to reach out to the public through as many communication channels as possible.

The WEA transmission probe lasted for around half an hour. The message, “Presidential Alert” followed by “This is a test of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed”, (Source: https://www.fema.gov/) was sent across to all WEA enabled mobile devices.

The EAS is the medium through which the President communicates with the nation in times of emergencies, in collaboration with radio and television channels, cable operators and similar service providers. The EAS message lasted an entire minute and was transmitted in a format similar to the test messages that are sent on a monthly basis:

“THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar wireless emergency alert test message has been sent to all cell phones nationwide. Some cell phones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.” (Source: https://www.fema.gov/)

The War Powers Act section of the Communications Act of 1934 provides a foundational basis for the EAS. The Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act that was forged in 2006 gives the general public the option of choosing if they want to receive WEA alerts or not. However, the provision of this choice is not applicable to Presidential alerts.

As per the IPAWS Modernization Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-143), the FEMA IPAWS Program Management Office (PMO) must carry out a routine inspection of the EAS’ capabilities through a nationwide test at least triennially. The act came into force in April, 2016, and obliges FEMA to provide the President with unconditional infrastructural support in order to reach out to citizens during emergencies such as natural calamities, terrorist attacks and other catastrophes.

IPAWS PMO and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) jointly designed an examination strategy that can carefully assess the capabilities of IPAWS’ Open Platform across various parameters. After-action reports and improvement plans are the key takeaways from each test that propel the testing process forward.

The IPAWS Program Management Office (PMO) is looking at ways to extend the reach and impact of its warning and alert system. Towards this end, FEMA IPAWS relayed a National Periodic Test (NPT) to the EAS in English and Spanish for the first time in 2015. EAS’ radio and TV partners can also support the primary language of their audience. Utilizing its Multilanguage capabilities to reach as many people as possible across demographics and ethnic backgrounds is one of FEMA IPAWS’ main focus areas.

Public involvement is an important aspect as well of these nationwide tests and FEMA is hoping to gain as many inputs as possible from citizens participating in these exercise drills with a specific focus on the following:

Additionally, all residents who have subscribed to the EAS-WEA service will be kept up to date on the latest developments through forums such as debates, virtual meetings, web enabled discussions and so on.

The IPAWS Program Office for its part is taking measures to maintain its alerting authorities at a competitive advantage through exercises, training drills and tests. This includes imparting:

The role of mass media has also been highlighted through a Continuity of Broadcast Operations (COBO) plan. This plan is directed at broadcast companies, clusters and single station enterprises. The COBO outlines a strategic framework of action before, during and after a natural or manmade disaster. The plan also includes considerations and possible strategies for media enterprises when they are directly impacted by a crisis situation.