National Weather Service CMAS/IPAWS/PLAN/WEA Cell Phone Alerts

National Weather Service Post 9-11

National Weather Service Quick Info Sharing GovernmentPeople

National Weather Service Post 9-11 Warning, Alert, & Response Network (WARN) Act passed by Congress in 2006Warning, Alert, & Response Network (WARN) Act passed by Congress in 2006 –In Response, FCC Developed CMAS Commercial Mobile Alerts SystemCommercial Mobile Alerts System –Government Alerts to Public Presidential AlertsPresidential Alerts Emergency ManagementEmergency Management National Weather ServiceNational Weather Service Amber AlertsAmber Alerts

National Weather Service IPAWSIPAWS Integrated Public Alert and Warning System CMAS

National Weather Service AcronymsAcronyms CMASCMAS –Commercial Mobile Alerts System PLANPLAN –Personal Localized Alerting Network WEAWEA Wireless Emergency AlertsWireless Emergency Alerts

National Weather Service How Does It Work?

National Weather Service How Does It Work? Approved (by FEMA) Issuing EntityApproved (by FEMA) Issuing Entity –Emergency Management –NWS –President –Others

National Weather Service How Does It Work? Uses Approved Commercial SoftwareUses Approved Commercial Software –Constructs & Sends Message

National Weather Service How Does It Work? Arrives at DHS/FEMA for ProcessingArrives at DHS/FEMA for Processing –Authenticates –IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System) Sends Out Multiple NetworksSends Out Multiple Networks One Message / Many PipesOne Message / Many Pipes One of these ‘pipes’ is CMAS (Smart Phones)

National Weather Service CMASCMAS Which Alerts?Which Alerts? –High Certainty –High Severity –High Urgency “High End” Warnings“High End” Warnings

National Weather Service CMASCMAS Receive Short Text AlertReceive Short Text Alert –Not For Large Info –Alert to Seek Add’tnl Info Not a SMS TextNot a SMS Text –Special Handling –Different Alert Tone Newest PhonesNewest Phones –Compatibles Grow w/ Time Slated to go NationwideSlated to go Nationwide –2012

National Weather Service CMASCMAS County-Based AlertingCounty-Based Alerting –V2: Cell Tower Specific NWS Expected WarningsNWS Expected Warnings –Tornado –Flash Flood –Hurricane –Ice Storm –Blizzard –Tsunami (Atlantic coast)

National Weather Service CMASCMAS Emergency ManagementEmergency Management –AMBER Alerts –Shelter In Place –Immediate Evacuation –Civil Emergency Message –Nuclear Power Plant Warning –Others… Presidential AlertsPresidential Alerts