IPAWS (Public Alert and Warning System)

What is IPAWS:

During an emergency, alert and warning officials need to provide the public with life-saving information quickly. The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is a modernization and integration of the nation’s alert and warning infrastructure and will save time when time matters most, protecting life and property.

Federal, State, local, tribal and territorial alerting authorities can use IPAWS and integrate local systems that use Common Alerting Protocol standards with the IPAWS infrastructure. IPAWS provides public safety officials with an effective way to alert and warn the public about serious emergencies using the Emergency Alert System (EAS), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio, and other public alerting systems from a single interface.

During an emergency, alert and warning officials need to provide the public with life-saving information quickly. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), made available through the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) infrastructure, are just one of the ways public safety officials can quickly and effectively alert and warn the public about serious emergencies.

What you need to know what EASs:

• The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is used by alerting authorities to send warnings via broadcast, cable, satellite, and wireline communications pathways. 
• Emergency Alert System participants, which consist of broadcast, cable, satellite, and wireline providers, are the stewards of this important public service in close partnership with alerting officials at all levels of government. 
• The EAS is also used when all other means of alerting the public are unavailable, providing an added layer of resiliency to the suite of available emergency communication tools. 
• The EAS is in a constant state of improvement to ensure seamless integration of CAP-based and emerging technologies.

What you need to know what WEAs:

• WEAs can be sent by state and local public safety officials, the National Weather Service, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the President of the United States
• WEAs can be issued for three alert categories – imminent threat, AMBER, and presidentialWEAs look like text messages, but are designed to get your attention and alert you with a unique sound and vibration, both are repeated twice
• WEAs are no more than 90 characters, and will include the type and time of the alert, any action you should take, as well as the agency issuing the alert
• WEAs are not affected by network congestion and will not disrupt texts, calls, or data sessions that are in progress
• Mobile users are not charged for receiving WEAs and there is no need to subscribe
• To ensure your device is WEA-capable, check with your service provide