1. Common Alerting Protocol in the U.S. National Weather Service
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION WMO INFORMATION SYSTEM (WIS) Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) Implementation Workshop Geneva, Switzerland, 6-7 April 2011
Herb White
NOAA National Weather Service
Silver Spring, Maryland
USA

2. Presentation Outline Vision Alerting authorities Progress to date
Roadmap
Future
Questions and Discussion

3. The nation’s alert and warning system continues to evolve from over forty years ago
A Bit of History
The Emergency Broadcasting System (EBS) was initiated to allow the President to address the nation through audible alerts. It did not allow for targeted messaging.
The Primary Entry Point Advisory Committee (PEPAC) was established to manage the Primary Entry Point (PEP) program for FEMA.
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) was initiated to replace EBS. The Federal Communications Commission began to enforce EAS Compliance in 1997.
FEMA established the IPAWS program to achieve the end state of Executive Order 13407, which the President signed in June 2006.
Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)
“IPAWS is…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.” – Executive Order 13407

4. IPAWS Vision Television
Timely Alert And Warning To American Citizens In The Preservation of Life And Property
Radio
Common Alerting
Protocol (CAP)
Cell Phone
(CMAS)
Alerting Authorities;
Federal, State, territorial, tribal, and local
Computer
Picture (OV-1) of Vision –
– concept of single message delivered to multiple dissemination channels – integration, easier to use for alert authorities
This concept enhances alerting capability in two critical ways:
1 – increases the reliability that a citizen will receive an alert via at least one path
2 – increases likelihood that citizen seriously considers the alert because alert information available for verification/corroboration via multiple media paths
Home Phone
IPAWS Alert Aggregators
Public Signage 4

5. IPAWS Architecture Standards Based Alert Message protocols, authenticated alert message senders, shared, trusted access & distribution networks, alerts delivered to more public interface devices
Alerting Authorities
* Includes NOAA
IPAWS compliant CAP Alert Origination Tools
Alert Disseminators
(public alerting systems)
American People
Emergency
Federal*
Emergency Alert System
State
AM FM Satellite Radio;
Digital, Analog, Cable, and Satellite TV
Territorial
CAP messages
Commercial Mobile Alert System
Tribal
cell phones, pagers
Cellular and Commercial Mobile Networks
IPAWS OPEN
Local
Internet Services
CAP messages
Web Browsers, widgets, applications
Alert Aggregator/ Gateway
IPAWS compliant CAP Alert Origination Tools
NOAA
the Message Router
(Open Platform for Emergency Networks)
HazCollect
NWS
Green = FEMA maintained interface Blue = NOAA System Grey = state and local, not FEMA funded interfaces and systems
OPEN (Open Platform for Emergency Networks) is a message broker for exchanging standards compliant emergency messages. OPEN v1.0 aka as DMIS, has been fielded in some localities to provide alert and warning message exchange with NOAA for non-weather hazard activation of the NOAA Weather Radio network (HazCollect System).
Authorized alerting officials at all levels of government access the IPAWS service and send CAP messages through OPEN to public information distribution systems. Standard based CAP format emergency alert messages.
IPAWS builds and maintains the OPEN standards based interface and connection to public information dissemination channels:
- radio and TV via EAS
- cellular phone broadcast via CMAS
- NOAA Weather Radio via HazCollect
- Internet services via TBD
- Local Unique systems – such as Emergency Telephone Networks and local phone dialing system as well as other local alerting systems (e.g. siren, signboard)
IPAWS does not replace local alerting systems, but can be used by and integrated with local alerting systems
FM RBDS
State / Local Unique Alerting Systems
ETN
Siren
Digital Signage
Future Technologies 5 5

6. Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) Available to Public in April 2012
Serves the general public and is Opt-out (not opt-in)
Requires CMAS compatible phone, but all major carriers have volunteered to participate
Provides information relevant to the user’s current location
Users only receive alerts for “imminent threats”
First version limits message length to 90 characters and does not allow embedded links
Point to multipoint radio broadcast from cell
tower (not point to point SMS text message) 6

7. U.S. NOAA National Weather Service Authorities
The National Weather Service Organic Act of 1890, currently codified as amended in section 313 of title 15 of the federal statutory code (called the United States Code) authorizes the National Weather Service to issue and distribute warnings of environmental hazards.  The authority is summarized as: 
The NWS provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. NWS data and products form a national information database and infrastructure which can be used by other governmental agencies, the private sector, the public, and the global community. 
The National Weather Service all-hazards support authority emanates primarily from the National Response Framework as authorized by The Homeland Security Act of 2002, codified predominantly as amended in sections 101 to 557 of title 6 of the United States Code, and The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, codified as amended sections 5121 to 5206 of title 42 of the United States Code.
The NWS supports the Emergency Alert System and provides, in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, public dissemination of critical pre-event and post-event information of all hazards, including natural disasters and terrorist events.  7

8. Sample NWS Efforts in XML & CAP for Emergency Messages
Action
Date
 RSS feeds by state, county and aggregated national feeds
2003 to present
 Experimental and evolving CAP v1.0
2004 to March 2011
 Experimental Atom index feed
2008 to March 2011
 HazCollect experimental - Non-weather emergency message CAP authoring and NOAA Weather Radio/Emergency Alert System broadcast service for civil authorities
2006 to 2009
 HazCollect operational
2009 to present
 CAP v1.1 and Atom index feed operational
15 March 2011 8

9. HazCollect Overview Emergency Message Flow9

10. NWS CAP Roadmap Milestone/Goal Date
 CAP v1.2 Adopted by FEMA for IPAWS
30 September 2010
 CAP v1.1 Operational in NWS at alerts.weather.gov/cap
15 March 2011
NWS CAP guide on public collaborative wiki to prepare for CAP v1.2
Spring 2011
CAP v1.2 (IPAWS Compliant) Experimental in NWS
Fall 2011
NWS CAP push to FEMA IPAWS Aggregator in time for CMAS
Winter 2011/
Spring 2012
CAP v1.2 Operational
Early 2012
Native production of NWS CAP messages using NWS next generation warning tool gives forecasters enhanced control over CAP content)
2013

11. Challenges
Transform NWS information and dissemination systems from WMO-formatted products to create and distribute XML/CAP formats
Collaboratively define CAP parameters for weather alerts
NWS creation of CMAMtext for CMAS (maximum character alert message) until 2013 11

12. NWS Today
CAP Message

13. NWS with Next Generation Warning Tool (2013)
Information Database
CAP Message 13

14. CAP IPAWS Profile says
“Messages intended for CMAS dissemination MAY include an instance of <parameter> with a <valueName> of "CMAMtext" and a <value> containing free form text limited in length to 90 English characters.” <parameter> <valueName>CMAMtext</valueName> <value>NWS’ 90 characters go here</value> </parameter>

15. CAP Wiki to Encourage Collaboration with Users and Developers (Spring 2011)
NWS CAP usage guide
Defines how NWS information is provided within our CAP compliant messages
Collaborative environment for developers
Self-help
Developer feedback encouraged
Monitored by NWS

16. Increase Warning Effectiveness by Personalizing the Threat
Example of Possible Future CAP Content
Works across multiple alerting systems
Simplifies task of activating a warning
“Write once, distribute many times”
Link to photo/video demonstrating the call to action
“Just in time” training on
your TV or cell phone
Works across languages
Warning effectiveness
Improved response

17. Flexibility and Agility
Examples of Possible Future CAP Parameters
Focus on content
Nimble: Can add parameters without impacting user parsing (NWS, not partners and users, will be our limiting factors)
Can include additional parameters for Decision Support
Can include real-time information to substantiate the alert
<parameter>
<valueName>NWSStormMotionDescription</valueName>
<value> T12:46:00-06: DEG...20KT </value>
</parameter>
<valueName>StormReport</valueName>
<value>+39.33,-76.82:Woodstock, MD:Trees down on I-70</value>
<valueName>Snow</valueName>
<value>12 or more inches</value> 17

18. Questions and Discussion. http://alerts. weather
Questions and Discussion? Herb White Dissemination Services Manager NOAA National Weather Service Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

19. Supporting Slides

20. Future: Better Tools for Communicating Impact
<urgency>value</urgency>
Immediate
Expected
Future
Past
<severity>value</severity>
Extreme
Severe
Moderate
Minor
<certainty>value</certainty>
Observed
Likely
Possible
Unlikely
Today: Pre-assigned from
table of NWS alert types
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
<urgency>Immediate</urgency>
<severity>Severe</severity>
<certainty>Likely</certainty>
2013: Assigned by forecaster
using next generation warning tool
Crippling 1/2” snow squall
<urgency>Immediate</urgency>
<severity>Severe</severity>
<certainty>Likely</certainty>

21. HazCollect All-Hazards Emergency Message Collection System
NWS Mission – Relay critical pre- and post-event information on NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) and other dissemination systems.
Provides CAP Alert authoring tools to emergency responders and government officials for efficient distribution of alert and warning information to affected population in the event of an emergency.
HazCollect Service is integrated into the NWS Telecommunications Gateway operations and backup architecture
Message Examples: Hazardous Materials Warning, Fire Warning, Evacuation Warning, Shelter-in-Place Warning, Amber Alert, Nuclear Power Plant Warning, Civil Emergency Message
Enables wider distribution of Non-Weather Emergency Messages to:
NWS dissemination systems including NOAA Weather Radio and NOAA Weather Wire
Emergency Alert System (EAS)
CAP-enabled distributors
Weather enterprise, news media, and others that monitor and distribute NWS data streams 21