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CAP Weather Messages Triggering Cellular Alerts in the U.S.
Robert BungeU.S. National Weather Service
Silver Spring, MD, [email protected]
WMO, ITU, OASISCAP IMPLEMENTATION WORKSHOP
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND23/24 April 2013
Overview• Background• U.S. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)• Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS)• Lessons Learned
– Being Prepared– Conduct Outreach– Monitor Feedback
• Future Plans• Summary
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Background• US NWS started to send brief warning
messages to cell phones in affected areas in June 2012 using FEMA operated network
• Alert data is contained in CAP message• US created custom parameters as needed• CAP messages now being disseminated
via other systems
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U.S. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)
• Weather Alert Types– More about message content on later slides
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Warning Type WEA Message that appears on phone
Tsunami Warning Tsunami danger on the coast. Go to high ground or move inland. Check local media. –NWS
Tornado Warning Tornado Warning in this area til hh:mm tzT. Take shelter now. Check local media. –NWS
Extreme Wind Warning Extreme Wind Warning this area til hh:mm tzT ddd. Take shelter. –NWS
Flash Flood Warning Flash Flood Warning this area til hh:mm tzT. Avoid flooded areas. Check local media. -NWS
Hurricane Warning Hurricane Warning this area til hh:mm tzT ddd. Check local media and authorities. -NWS
Typhoon Warning Typhoon Warning this area til hh:mm tzT ddd. Check local media and authorities. -NWS
Blizzard Warning Blizzard Warning this area til hh:mm tzT ddd. Prepare. Avoid Travel. Check media. -NWS
Ice Storm Warning Ice Storm Warning this area til hh:mm tzT ddd. Prepare. Avoid Travel. Check media. -NWS
Dust Storm Warning Dust Storm Warning in this area til hh:mm tzT ddd. Avoid travel. Check local media. -NWS
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IPAWS – Integrated Public Alert and Warning System
• Operated by US Federal Emergency Management Agency• Collects alerts in CAP format from all levels of government
Lessons LearnedEffective CAP alerting is much more than implementing
CAP technical standards
•Being Prepared – Research– Message Content– Originator Proficiency – Regular Testing
•Conduct Outreach •Monitoring & Feedback
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Lessons Learned:Being Prepared
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Research
• Understand cell broadcast technology(s) used– Work directly with the cellular carriers in your area– Learn how alert broadcast areas are determined– Learn handset capability, current and projected for your
technology– Learn handset refresh rate – when will most consumers be able
to receive alerts?• Understand limitations (technical and policy)
– Develop services and expectations around them
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Lessons Learned:Message Content
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MESSAGE CONTENTChoose U-S-C and response Type carefully
• Urgency, Severity, and Certainty elements must be at their two highest levels to trigger WEA
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Urgency-Immediate-Expected-Future-Past-Unknown
Severity-Extreme-Severe-Moderate-Minor-Unknown
Certainty-Observed-Likely-Possible-Unlikely-Unknown
• WEA will not be triggered if chosen responseType is “None”• WEA message can be prevented with IPAWS channelBlock
parameter
MESSAGE CONTENTNWS Custom CAP Parameters
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<web>http://www.weather.gov</web> <parameter> <valueName>VTEC</valueName> <value>/O.NEW.KJAN.TO.W.0005.130130T0010Z-130130T0045Z/</value> </parameter> <parameter> <valueName>EAS-ORG</valueName> <value>WXR</value> </parameter> <parameter> <valueName>PIL</valueName> <value>JANTORJAN</value> </parameter> <parameter> <valueName>eventEndingTime</valueName> <value>2013-01-29T18:45:00-06:00</value> </parameter> <parameter> <valueName>CMAMtext</valueName> <value>Tornado Warning in this area til 6:45 PM CST. Take shelter now. Check local media. -NWS</value> </parameter> <area> <areaDesc>Chicot</areaDesc> <polygon>33.56,-91.24 33.51,-91.18 33.44,-91.23 33.45,-91.17 33.5,-91.17 33.47,-91.12 33.43,-91.14 33.41,-91.21 33.39,-91.19 33.39,-91.12 33.45,-91.06 33.42,-91.06 33.13,-91.4 33.17,-91.46 33.28,-91.46 33.52,-91.3 33.52,-91.26 33.56,-91.24</polygon> <geocode> <valueName>UGC</valueName> <value>ARC017</value> </geocode> <geocode> <valueName>SAME</valueName> <value>005017</value> </geocode> </area>
MESSAGE CONTENTCMAMText for custom WEA message
• Custom parameter for US IPAWS system• Have templates for custom message
• Messages issued by NYC during October 2012 superstorm– “MANDATORY EVACUATION Zone A, Rockaways, Hamilton Bch, City
Is. NYC.gov or 311 for details”– “Emergency Alert in this area until 8:00 AM GMT Take Shelter Now
NYC_OEM”– Go indoors immediately and remain inside. DO NOT DRIVE. Call 9-1-1
for emergencies only.
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Alert Message Content (90 characters)- What - Where- When - How (to respond)- Who (says)
MESSAGE CONTENTUse of polygon to describe threat area
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• Increase value and relevance of warning• Compared to warning by county, polygon warnings can reduce
warned area by 70% to 97%, especially in Western U.S.• NWS started using polygon warnings October 1, 2007
• Tornado Warnings (trigger WEA)• Flash Flood Warnings (trigger WEA)• Severe Thunderstorm Warnings • Special Marine Warnings • Severe Weather Statements• Flash Flood Statements• Marine Weather Statements
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Originator Proficiency
• Online Training (FEMA Course IS-247)– Introduction to system– Appropriate, Effective, and Accessible
Alert and Warning Messages– Common Alerting Protocol Message Composition
• Practice and Drill
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Regular Testing
• Test processes in a test environment– Both NWS and FEMA have test environments that process
real data all the time• Validate system response is as expected
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IPAWS
Conduct Outreach
• Set realistic expectations – WEA Is a bell ringer, not a replacement for traditional warning systems
• Create one-page web/social media/handout preparemetrokc.org/WirelessEmergencyAlertFlier.pdf
• Media interviews, school and government officials, community events, Public Service Announcements
• Government agency and industry association links to outreach information for each major carrier – example: www.ctia.org/wea)
• Develop FAQs – example: www.weather.gov/wirelessalerts
• Cell users should contact their carrier regarding WEA capability, to report issues, or seek assistance 16
Monitor Feedback
• Social media
• Call centers
• Family and friends
• Calls and emails to originating authority
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Current and Future Plans• NWS CAP messages now being
disseminated via two satellite systems in parallel with traditional text alerts
• Newest version will soon be on NWS websites via ATOM index feeds
• Better descriptive language of impacted areas
• Allow originating meteorologist to custom tailor message
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Summary• NWS has been using CAP to send short
messages to cell phones located in impacted areas since June 2012
• Early results are positive with some affected citizens crediting system to saving lives
• Lessons learned center less around the technology and more around the message content and public outreach
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