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

1. Integrated Public Alert and Warning System IPAWS Get Alerts, Stay Alive IPAWS Overview for Region VII RECCWG Meeting January 29, 2013

2. What is the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System? …intended to be used by State and Local officials during emergencies • IPAWS is a national public warning system for the President but… • DHS FEMA is tasked to create “an effective, reliable, integrated, flexible, and comprehensive system to alert and warn the American people in situations of war, terrorist attack, natural disaster, or other hazards to public safety and well-being (public alert and warning system), taking appropriate account of the functions, capabilities, and needs of the private sector and of all levels of government in our Federal system, and to ensure that under all conditions the President can communicate with the American people.” - (Executive Order 13407 June 2006) • IPAWS provides access to send emergency alerts to the public via: • radio and television through the Emergency Alert System (47 CFR Part 11-EAS) • cellular phones through the Wireless Emergency Alerts service (47 CFR Part 10-CMAS) • NOAA National Weather System All Hazards Radio through the HazCollect System. Who can use IPAWS? • Public safety officials granted the authority to alert the public of emergency situations through federal, state, and local laws. Typical organizations are: • State Government, Local Government (county, city, public safety, etc), Tribal and Territorial Governments Other public or private sector organizations may be eligible in coordination with local government. Are you required to use IPAWS? No. 2

3. Initial Operational Capabilities online in Oct 2011. • Initial WEA/CMAS tests conducted in Dec 2011. • NOAA started using IPAWS to send severe weather alerts via WEA/CMAS in Jun 2012 IPAWS is Operational Now! Capabilities online: • National EAS – emergency alert broadcast from the President across all radio and TV • State & Local Alerts via IPAWS to: • Local radio and TV stations participating in local EAS • Cell carriers for broadcast to all cell phones in a danger zone as Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) (aka CMAS) • NOAA for broadcast over local NOAA Weather All Hazards Radio • Websites and services • Public alerts published to IPAWS alert feed for distribution by internet information services and applications that choose to monitor IPAWS for alert information State/local/other IPAWS users as of December 6: • 23 States with Public Alerting Authority • 62 Counties with Public Alerting Authority: 62 • - 3 additional States & 42 Counties have access for info exchange only list posted at http://www.fema.gov/alerting-authorities/integrated-public-alert-warning-system-authorities) 3

4. IPAWS Architecture with National EAS National Emergency Alert System (EAS) FEMA Operations Centers • XM Siris Radio • NPR • Premier Radio Networks President FEMA PEP Stations FEMA PEP Stations in Region VII: • KFYR Bismarck ND • KERRPolson, MT • KWDZSalt Lake City, UT • KOA Denver CO IPAWS OPEN Alert Aggregator/ Gateways

5. Local alerting systems – typical examples Alerting Authorities Emergency Management Local Alerting Systems Emergency Local Authorities • Emergency Telephone Networks (e.g. Reverse911) • Subscription based services (e.g. ISAWS/My State) • Siren and sign systems • Local NWS Weather Forecast Office Police 911 Call Center State Authorities Local Radio and TV Others? IPAWS is not intended to replace local alerting systems. But local systems can be integrated for additional capabilities!

6. Local alerting system integration with IPAWS Local Unique Alerting Systems Alerting Authorities Emergency Management Local Emergency Local Authorities Local Police 911 Call Center IPAWS Public Alerting Channels Local Public IPAWS OPEN State Authorities Emergency Alert System Others? All Radio and TV Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) cell phones IPAWS Spec CAP Interface NOAA HazCollect NWS web applications, widgets, sites, social media Internet Services

7. Caveats To leverage the IPAWS capabilities and public alerting channels: Need an IPAWS-compatible software tool: CAP IPAWS USA Specification 1.2 compliant software that interoperates with IPAWS-OPEN Several vendor have demonstrated to the program office posting of a digitally signed CAP message to the IPAWS-OPEN test environment Caveat! We don’t know how well or easy it is to use or integrate their tools. list of vendors with MOA’s to develop and test against is posted on IPAWS website FEMA grant programs include language that can be used to plan for, buy, maintain and/or enhance alert and warning tools and programs. Need State/Territorial/Tribal authorization for Public Alerting Authority in your area Need to coordinate with your local EAS Participants to carry your alerts Need to coordinate with your local NOAA NWS Weather Forecast Office for approval to broadcast Non Weather Emergency Messages over NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio

8. Alert Origination Software / tools validated against IPAWS-OPEN • 138 of 173 vendor applicants have MOAs for IPAWS test access (as of 6 Dec 2012) • Preparedness-Technology, Analysis, and Coordination (P-TAC) Center (previously called NIMS STEP)is adding evaluation of IPAWS compatible alerting tools to their program. First evaluations should start in April 2013. see https://www.ptaccenter.org/step/index for additional info • Alerting software we have seen work in demos, tests, etc: • MyState USA • ComlabsEMnet • NC4 Eteam • Eyestreet Solutions On The Go Alerting • MITRE IC.Net • Global Security Systems Alert • ECN CodeRED • Monroe DasEOC • Buffalo Computer Graphics DisasterLAN • InteropParaclete

9. IPAWS is the only way to access the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) to send Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) Cellular carrier participation voluntary 112 carriers have opted-in Citizens may opt-out of receiving alerts New phones are delivered opted-in Significantly Different from SMS/email based alerting systems Not subscription based -- true location based alerting geographically targeted messages to phones in an area - not to a database of phone numbers 90 character message limit For “Alerts” only…. not for notification type messages. Only for emergencies categorized as: Imminent Threat (Severity, Urgency, Certainty) AMBER / Child Abduction Emergency Presidential Alerts Uses “cell broadcast”technology to send messages to any cell phone in range of a tower. Avoids Network Congestion - Uses different path than voice or SMS text messages that can be congested during heavy usage periods. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) / Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) • WEA messages are free to alerters and alertees – no usage or text message charges CMAS is the result of Public-Private Partnership FEMA, FCC and Cellular Carriers

10. Wireless Emergency Alerts – WEA Commercial Mobile Alert System - CMAS As of December 2012 • Status • 112 Wireless Carriers have “Opted-In” to CMAS • “FCC Regulatory start” date was April 7, 2012 • Carrier network readiness and handset availability varies • Carrier is the only source of info about network and handset status

11. Wireless Emergency Alerts – WEACarrier Implementation Differences: • Carriers do WEA a bit differently – but all within regulatory requires per FCC • Examples: • Area that an alert is broadcast to: • Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T attempt to broadcast Alert only to the area indicated in the CAP message • Verizon Wireless broadcasts alert to all counties included in the alert zone • (i.e. a small alert zone that overlaps the corners of three counties is broadcast from every Verizon tower in all three counties) • Phone displays can be slightly different, but: • Alert “pops up” on home screen when received • 90 character message is displayed • Alert tone and vibration is same on each phone • Tone can be muted by user settings

12. Snapshot of WEA Compatible Phones so far… 12

13. For more information Email the IPAWS inbox: IPAWS@dhs.gov IPAWS Website:http://www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/ EMI Independent Study Course IS-247: http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is247.asp Mailing list for IPAWS Webinar notices:http://service.govdelivery.com/service/subscribe.html?code=USDHSFEMA_165

14. IPAWS Program Office POCs Antwane.Johnson@dhs.gov Office: (202) 646-4383 Director, Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Division Wade.Witmer@dhs.gov Office: (202) 646-2523 Deputy Director, Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Division Mark.Lucero@dhs.gov Office: (202) 646-1386 Chief Engineering, Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Division

15. QUESTIONS?

16. Additional Info

17. How to become an IPAWS user 17

18. Public Alert and Warning Planning Essentials Just as with any other public safety or emergency plans… should have a public warning program, that considers the following: • Your jurisdiction’s vulnerabilities – what threats may you need to warn the public about? • Who is authorized to originate and manage alerts Emergency Manager, Incident Commander, Watch Officer, Public Information Officer, etc. • Identify and engage with local public communications partners; your public warning partners – discuss capabilities and to seek advice and council • Develop clear and repeatable warning policies, guidelines, procedures, training, test and exercise plans • Review and frequently update public warning plans and policies in coordination with all warning partners • Educate the public on the importance of being informed and the use of warning sources • Test and Exercise Frequently

19. What do you need to do to use IPAWS? • You need an IPAWS-compatible software tool: • List of vendors developing compatible tools is on IPAWS website • Execute a security Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DHS/FEMA • Formalizes approval for message exchange between your system and IPAWS-OPEN system – the MOA application is on the IPAWS website • The MOA establishes an IPAWS Collaborative Operating Group (COG) account for your organization • COGs may be established for State/territorial, regional, or local level organizations • COG owners administer their own member accounts through their software system Once the these steps are complete, a digital certificate is issued for installation on your IPAWS-compatible tool that is used to digitally sign all of your messages • You now have the ability to exchange alert information only with other COGs • If your organization also seeks public alerting authority through IPAWS, an additional application is required… • Info and forms are on FEMA IPAWS website or via request to IPAWS@dhs.gov

20. Application for Public Alerting Authority • If your organization wants to leverage IPAWS public alerting channels, a few additional steps are required: • Complete and Coordinate a Public Alerting application for the COG organization with your State POC. (public alerting application is available by request sent to IPAWS@dhs.gov) The application will ask you to identify: • the IPAWS public alerting channels to be used (EAS, WEA/CMAS, HazCollect) • the geographic extent of alerting authority (Statewide? Multi-county? Single county?) • the Event Codes (from EAS/SAME) the organization is authorized to use - this must be consistent with State and local EAS and other local Operating Plans • Complete EMI Independent Study Course IS-247 “Integrated Public Alert and Warning System” Why does FEMA need State, or other formal validation of your “alerting authority”? • Ensures that alerting permissions are coordinated and consistent with State, Territorial, Tribal EAS and AMBER Alert plans, or other state and local public warning plans • Preferably your public alerting application should be routed and signed by a designated state authority before being submitted to FEMA. IPAWS has found a designated authority for most states. Request info for your state from IPAWS@dhs.gov.

21. IPAWS Architecture (State and Local accessible components) How IPAWS Works… Alert Disseminators (public alerting systems) American People Alerting Authorities * Includes NOAA IPAWS compliant CAP Alert Origination Tools Emergency Alert System Local Emergency All Radio and TV AM FM; Digital, Analog, Cable, and Satellite State Alert Aggregator/ Gateway Territorial CAP messages Commercial Mobile Alert Service (CMAS) Tribal IPAWS OPEN Federal* cell phones CAP messages NOAA the Message Router (Open Platform for Emergency Networks) HazCollect NWS IPAWS compliant CAP Alert Origination Tools web applications, widgets, web sites, social media Internet Services State / Local Unique Alerting Systems FM RBDS ETN Siren Digital Signage Future Technologies

22. How IPAWS Works… CAP Message is created by a local public safety official in their alerting tool, digitally signed and sent to the IPAWS-OPEN 22

23. IPAWS-OPEN verifies digital signature, validates CAP file, and determines where it goes 23

24. Dissemination channels connected to or monitoring IPAWS-OPEN receive alert message from IPAWS-OPEN. Alerts broadcast to local consumer devices! Local systems could be configured to monitor IPAWS as source for local alerts also. 24

25. Information for software tool vendors: Three documents define CAP as it will be implemented and used in IPAWS: OASIS CAP Standard v1.2 IPAWS Specification to the CAP Standard(CAP v1.2 IPAWS USA Profile v1.0) CAP to EAS Implementation Guide An IPAWS-OPEN Developers Guide is available via request to IPAWS@dhs.gov Monthly Webinars for System Developers - see IPAWS web page for schedule and archives: http://www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/working_group.shtm. 39 Vendors have declared intent to develop IPAWS public alert posting interoperating tools - 18 Vendors have demonstrated successful postingof a digitally signed CAP public alert to IPAWS in the test environment:

26. IPAWS 26

27. Originally called the “Key Station System,” the CONtrol of ELectromagnetic RADiation (CONELRAD) was established in August 1951. Participating stations tuned to 640 & 1240 kHz AM and initiated a special sequence and procedure designed to warn citizens. The Evolution of Public Emergency Alerting 1951 - 1963 1963 - 1997 1997 - - - - - - - - present - CONELRAD EBS EAS IPAWS EAS jointly coordinated by the FCC, FEMA and NWS. Designed for President to speak to American people within 10 minutes. EAS messages composed of 4 parts: • Digitally encoded header • Attention Signal • Audio Announcement • Digitally encoded end-of-message marker • Provided for better integration with NOAA weather and local alert distribution to broadcasters IPAWS modernizes and integrates the nation’s alert and warning infrastructure. Integrates new and existing public alert and warning systems and technologies thru adoption of new alert information exchange format - the Common Alerting Protocol or CAP Provides authorities a broader range of message options and multiple communications pathways EBS was initiated to address the nation through audible alerts. It did not allow for targeted messaging. System upgraded in 1976 to provide for better and more accurate handling of alert receptions. Originally designed to provide the President with an expeditious method of communicating with the American Public, it was expanded for use during peacetime at state and local levels. original timeline info borrowed from: The Broadcast Archive by Barry Mishkind, The Eclectic Engineer 27

28. “Timely Alert And Warning To American Citizens In The Preservation of Life And Property” IPAWS Vision Integration of public alertcommunications systems: • Facilitate single emergency alert message delivery to all available public dissemination channels • Easier to use by public safety/alerting authorities • Improves and Enhances emergency alerting capability in two critical ways: • – reliability that affected citizens receive an alert via at least one path • – likelihood that citizens react to emergency alerts

29. IPAWS… So what? Why should a local or state organization go to the trouble of integrating with IPAWS? • Local public safety systems integrated with IPAWS can leverage IPAWS to send emergency alerts to the public in their jurisdictions through: • local radio and TV EAS participants • local weather radios via NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio, AND: • Local cellular phones via the Wireless Emergency Alert service, • and Internet services and applications participating with IPAWS

30. Emergency Emergency Alert System (EAS) 30

31. Emergency Alert System and IPAWS • 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 is June 30, 2012 • Many 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 can use IPAWS to route alerts to local EAS stations • IPAWS should complement - but not replace - the systems you 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) 31

32. How does the EAS Feed work? • Alerts sent to IPAWS-OPEN by federal, state, and local alerting authorities are posted to the IPAWS EAS Feed hosted at the FEMA data centers • EAS Participants configure their EAS devices to monitor the IPAWS EAS Feed • local location/FIPS codes for the participating station • what alerts they will broadcast in accordance with local and state agreements/policies • the IPAWS EAS Feed URL (could also monitor a state or local CAP alert server) • EAS devices poll the EAS feed for relevant active alerts fitting the stations profile • Appropriate Alerts are retrieved and broadcast in accordance with the State EAS Plan and any agreements with local officials

33. Commercial Mobile Alerting System Wireless Emergency Alerts 33

34. Wireless Emergency Alerts – WEA Commercial Mobile Alert System - CMAS • Status • 112 Wireless Carriers have “Opted-In” to CMAS • “FCC Regulatory start” date was April 7, 2012 • Carrier network readiness and handset availability varies • Carrier is the only source of info about network and handset status

35. IPAWS is the only way emergency managers can access the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) to send Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) Enables authorized public safety officials to send 90 character, geographically targeted, emergency alerts to cellular phones in a danger zone Uses “cell broadcast”technology to avoid network congestion Cellular carrier participation voluntary 147 carriers have opted-in Citizens may opt-out of receiving alerts New phones are delivered opted-in Significantly Different from SMS/email based alerting systems Not subscription based -- true location based alerting 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) / Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) • CMAS capability is free to alerters and alertees – no usage or text message charges CMAS is the result of Public-Private Partnership FEMA, FCC and Cellular Carriers

36. Alerts are Broadcast! - Very different than Subscription Services

37. Verizon – WEA broadcast if cell tower within county County WEA broadcast is represented by the shaded circles. Note: Map is not drawn to scale and is for illustrative purposes only.

38. AT&T – WEA broadcast if tower inside polygon County WEA broadcast is represented by the shaded circles. Note: Map is not drawn to scale and is for illustrative purposes only.

39. Sprint – WEA broadcast if tower coverage overlaps polygon County WEA broadcast is represented by the shaded circles. Note: Map is not drawn to scale and is for illustrative purposes only.

40. Snapshot of WEA Compatible Phones so far… 40

41. NOAA Integration 41

42. NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio • The National Weather Service (NWS) All-Hazards Emergency Message Collection System, or HazCollect, can be accessed through IPAWS • HazCollect enables emergency alert messages from local alerting authorities to be broadcast over local NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio transmitters • 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 42

43. NOAA’s use of IPAWS • National Weather Service began sending WEA messages in June, 2012 • NWS weather alerts are not being posted on the IPAWS EAS Feed, yet. • Further testing and development to ensure that weather alerts via the IPAWS EAS Feed do not create duplicate broadcasts by EAS equipment at radio and TV stations is on-going • NWS weather alerts via traditional means are not impacted and will continue even after NWS messages begin posting to the IPAWS EAS Feed . 43

44. Internet Services 44

45. Internet Services / Applications • Internet web services and applications that choose may request access to monitor and retrieve public alerts in CAP format from IPAWS • IPAWS Public Alerts Feed is on-line as of September 2012 • Services then post or distribute emergency alerts information • e.g. Google.org Public Alerts web page publishes active alerts retrieved from NOAA and the USGS at www.google.org/publicalerts Weather Channel App Developers Social Media, AOL, etc…. 45

46. Funding from the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) and/or Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP) may be used to enhance existing or establish new alert and warning programs Organizations seeking grants are encouraged to contact FEMA Grants Office and IPAWS Office prior to initiating program activities program guidance, tools, resources and updates are available contact IPAWS Office at ipaws@dhs.gov Grants can be used for planning and equipment purchases Planning: development or enhancement of public alert and warning plans, interoperability governing bodies, development or enhancement of alert and warning assessments and inventories, development or enhancement of alert and warning protocols, planning for emerging technologies Equipment: design, construction , implementation, enhancement, replacement, and maintenance of emergency response communications systems and equipment, planning procurement and deployment of emerging technology systems FEMA IPAWS Language in Federal Grant Programs Remember, FEMA grant business is done through the State---counties, locals, private entities, etc. must go through/coordinate with the State to obtain grant funds

47. Flawed Delivery? Why Alert Notification Systems Sometimes Fall Short • Telephone alerting systems’ main problems can be broken down into two general, yet contradictory, categories: • In some situations, officials did not have residents’ telephone number, making calls impossible • In other cases, something went wrong with the local automated notification system and calls weren’t delivered, perhaps because local circuit failures can occur during heavy call volume • There are over 331 million wireless telephone subscribers in the US; this is in stark contrast to the number of phone lines in the US, which dropped from 162.7 million in 2008 to 145.8 million in 2011 • Throughout the country, cities and counties use public awareness and incentive programs to encourage the public to subscribe to alerts • In two small counties in Colorado, subscription based alerting was just over 2%; in larger Colorado counties, the subscription rates are not much better • Even in New York City, alert subscription rates are at 12% • CMAS doesn’t send WEA messages through a one-to-one connection as land line and cellphone calls do. Instead, the carriers broadcast the message and the message is picked up by WEA-enabled mobile devices in the area. • CMAS/WEA is just one component of IPAWS – and even as IPAWS grows, it will not replace existing state and local alerting initiatives, but rather enhance them. By Rick Wimberly, Emergency Management Magazine, September/October 2012 http://www.emergencymgmt.com/ 47

48. Developed for State/Local public safety and EAS Participants to use for EAS test preparation, information, and education activities State Toolkit for IPAWS Adoption EAS Best Practices Guide: EAS Test Informational Toolkit: Additional IPAWS Information Resources: • Information to assist state, county and local government officials in adopting, incorporating and using the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and IPAWS • Technical and procedural info on how to configure EAS equipment, industry best practices, history and info on how to use EAS • General EAS and Nationwide EAS Test Information, recommended practical approaches for EAS public awareness campaigns, tools for customization of EAS for State and local government

49. Executive Order 13407 - Public Alert and Warning System • “It is the policy of the United States to have an effective, reliable, integrated, flexible, and comprehensive system to alert and warn the American people in situations of war, terrorist attack, natural disaster, or other hazards to public safety and well-being (public alert and warning system), taking appropriate account of the functions, capabilities, and needs of the private sector and of all levels of government in our Federal system, and to ensure that under all conditions the President can communicate with the American people.” To implement the policy, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall: [summarized] I. Inventory, evaluate, and assess …public alert and warning resources; II. Establish or adopt, … common alerting and warning protocols, standards, terminology, and operating procedures … to enable interoperability and the secure delivery of coordinated messages to the American people through as many communication pathways as practicable, VI. Ensure the conduct of training, tests, and exercises for the public alert and warning system; VII. Ensure the conduct of public education efforts VIII. Consult, coordinate, and cooperate with the private sector, IX. Administer the Emergency Alert System (EAS) as a critical component of the public alert and warning system; and X. Ensure that under all conditions the President of the United States can alert and warn the American people.