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      EnglishEspañolFrançaisKreyòlTiếng Việt简体中文한국어  Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS)
              
              
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

              Technology Vendors & Developers
                          Technology Vendors & Developers

                      Common Alerting Protocol
                  
                                        
                    
          
                    
                            
                                        
                    
          
                    
                            
                                                    Alert Origination Software Providers
                                                                      All-Hazards Information Feed
                                                IPAWS-OPEN
                              
                                                            National Test 2023
                                                        General Public
                                                        Public Safety Officials
                                                        Broadcasters & Wireless Providers
                                                                                  IPAWS Program Governance
                                                        Frequently Asked Questions
          Common Alerting Protocol
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The Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), a digital format for exchanging emergency alerts, allows a consistent alert message to be disseminated simultaneously over multiple communications pathways. FEMA has worked with the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards to develop the IPAWS standard.



In addition to the basic CAP standard, a supplemental IPAWS Profile technical specification was developed to ensure compatibility with existing warning systems used in the United States. FEMA has formally adopted CAP and the IPAWS Profile to implement the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS).



Public safety organizations can use CAP to exchange incident reports and related information between different IPAWS-OPEN-compatible software systems.



CAP Implementation for IPAWS Fact Sheet



Benefits of Using Common Alerting Protocol



A single emergency alert can trigger a variety of public warning systems, increasing the likelihood that people receive the alert by one or more communication pathways.



The Common Alerting Protocol can:



Add rich multimedia such as photographs, maps, streaming video and audioGeographically target emergency alerts to a defined warning area. This is limited only by the capacity of the delivery system used.Serve the needs of people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or low visionSend alerts in multiple languages**EAS Participant Requirements**



In 2012, the FCC required Emergency Alert System participants (radio, television, cable, satellite and wireline providers) to receive and distribute CAP-formatted alert messages from IPAWS.



As EAS rules and the CAP standards evolve, IPAWS-OPEN is updated to accommodate new requirements.



**Guidance and Technical Documents**



OASIS CAP 1.2 StandardOASIS CAP v1.2 IPAWS Profile Version 1.0CAP EAS Implementation Guide



alert - infoFor more information, send an email to the IPAWS Program Management Office at IPAWS@fema.dhs.gov.
Last updated January 6, 2021

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