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IPAWS Components

IPAWS-OPEN Aggregator

Message Aggregation

The IPAWS Open Platform for Emergency Networks (OPEN) is a set of securely hosted Web services that enable the routing of standards-compliant emergency messages between disparate third-party applications, systems, networks and devices. Since the initial version of OPEN (DM-OPEN 1.0) had an established capability to route Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) alerts between organizations and to the public via the National Weather Service’s (NWS) All-Hazards Emergency Message Collection System (HazCollect), OPEN was selected by FEMA to perform message aggregation for IPAWS.

Authorized message originators will connect to OPEN via software interfaces provided by commercial developers to compose and transmit CAP-compliant emergency alerts. Message distributors will be connected to OPEN to constantly monitor for active alert messages. Message distributors will then relay active alerts to the public, who will ultimately receive them via radio, television broadcast, NOAA Weather radio, Internet-based systems, cellular telephone, and other dissemination services. Since the process from beginning to end will be fully automated, essential information to protect life and property will be able to reach those potentially affected in a matter of moments through redundant alerting pathways.

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Alert Origination

Alert origination tools are software products used by emergency managers, public safety officials, and other alerting authorities to create and send critical life saving messages to the public. As commercial software vendors incorporate CAP-conformant alerting into existing or newly developed products, these systems can be authorized to deliver CAP-compliant messages through the IPAWS OPEN Aggregator to reach the public through radio, TV, cellular mobile devices, Internet-based communications, and other CAP-compliant alerting systems.

Please see Alert Origination page for updates.

DMIS Tools 

IPAWS OPEN superseded the legacy DM-OPEN which has been decommissioned. Concurrently, the Disaster Management Interoperability Services (DMIS) Toolset system has also been retired.

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Geo-Targeted Alerting System (GTAS)

NOAA is developing a tool in partnership with IPAWS for plume modeling and collaboration. GTAS will quickly estimate the affected area during a HAZMAT incident using current weather conditions and allow for the rapid creation of a CAP message for public alerting. GTAS also provides collaboration tools for emergency managers to leverage the expertise of their supporting National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office.

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Inventory and Evaluation

The Inventory and Evaluation project will catalog and evaluate existing federal, state, territorial, tribal, and local government alert and warning systems. Collected data and reports are intended to describe the inventory of resources (alert and warning systems in use, policies, plans, procedures, staff, facilities) that make up the public alert and warning systems currently used at the federal, state, territorial, tribal, and local levels of government. Additional analysis will provide a view of current capabilities of existing public alert and warning systems resources as compared to planned IPAWS capabilities. This will allow IPAWS to work with these agencies in the planning of additional capabilities, policies, procedures and resources if needed.

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IPAWS OPEN Web Services

In addition to providing IPAWS Aggregator Services for the purpose of public alerting, IPAWS OPEN will continue to support the NWS HazCollect system, which relays Non-weather Emergency Messages (NWEMs) from authorized alert originators to the public through the NWS family of dissemination services, including NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) and rebroadcast by Emergency Alert System participants.

IPAWS OPEN also enables the exchange of standards-compliant emergency messaging between public agencies, to enhance situational awareness and interagency coordination. The same CAP message service used for public alerting may be used for non-public, interagency alerting between CAP-compliant systems. In addition, OPEN supports the OASIS Emergency Data Exchange Language Distribution Element (EDXL-DE) standard for routing of other emergency-related content.

In summary, IPAWS OPEN provides three types of Web services:

IPAW-OPEN Version 3.0 is currently operational; however, before the new system can be fully implemented, a number of additional activities are involved:

  1. Commercial software/system/device developers design and test products in an IPAWS OPEN 2.0 test environment.
  2. Message originators and disseminators upgrade their services to IPAWS Profile-compliant products.
  3. FEMA grants operational access to government organizations using third-party systems that have completed the design and test phase.
  4. Emergency Alert System (EAS) participants upgrade their equipment to be capable of receiving CAP-formatted alerts and configure their equipment to access theEAS CAP feed.
  5. Cellular service providers make connections to IPAWS via gateways established for the purpose.

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Interoperable Data Exchange

The Office for Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) fosters the development and implementation of technical messaging standards to permit the interoperable exchange of non-voice communications between different information systems designed to support the management of emergency incidents.

The subsections below provide a basic level of understanding of interoperable data exchange for the non-technical individual. Links to additional references are provided within each subsection.

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Primary Entry Point (PEP) Expansion

Each year from 2009-2013, FEMA National Continuity Programs’ Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) program office will expand the number of participating broadcast stations.

Primary Entry Point (PEP) Stations are private/commercial radio broadcast stations that cooperatively participate with FEMA to provide emergency alert and warning information to the public prior to, during, and after incidents and disasters. The FEMA PEPs also serve as the primary source of initial broadcast for a Presidential or national EAS message. PEPs are equipped with additional and back up communications equipment and power generators designed to enable them to continue broadcasting information to the public during and after an event. FEMA is expanding the number of PEP Stations across the nation to cover over 90 percent of the US population. FEMA, in cooperation with station licensees and operators of communication facilities, will maintain capabilities necessary for the national public alert and warning system. The PEP Station Expansion project will help ensure that under all conditions the President of the United States can alert and warn the public.

In September 2009, FEMA contracted with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)to begin equipping additional radio stations to become FEMA PEP stations. The project with USACE is actively bringing new stations into the FEMA PEP program. High level tasks include;activating a new PEP station, , initial site assessments, environmental assessments, design specifications, construction of special facilities, and coordinating memorandums of agreement with the stations and activity coordination with the State, local, tribal, territorial jurisdictions and the FEMA Regional offices.

The PEP stations will also provide resilience for alerts and warnings to the public. The IPAWS Program Management Office is modernizing existing PEP stations with next generation alert and warning equipment to include Common Alert Protocol (CAP) compliance equipment, and Internet Protocol enabled equipment. Satellite Communications will also be used to increase the resilience as an alternate path for disseminating alert and warning.

The FEMA IPAWS PEP Station Expansion project expects to include and maintain over 80 PEP stations operational throughout the United States and its territories (U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, US Mariana Islands) by the end of the project. Direct coverage of the nation’s population will expand from approximately 67 percent in 2009 to over 90 percent when these additional stations become operational.

Primary Entry Point map

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Last Modified: Wednesday, 04-Jan-2012 13:58:25 EST