Standardized Symbols for
Public Alerts & Warnings
Why Symbols for Public Alerts & Warnings?• Standardized symbols for event codes optimize message content
• Aid in making public alerts & warnings more effective for:• People with disabilities• People with Limited English Proficiency • Whole Community
• Apply a common language for communicating incident information• Used in local/state emergency management decision support tools • Geo-Targeting alert and warning message distribution within your
systems
How Were the Symbols Developed?• Strategic partnership between:
• FEMA IPAWS Office
• DHS Geospatial Management Office
• DHS Science & Technology Directorate
• National Alliance for Public Safety GIS Foundation
• Engaged over 30 local, state, and federal public safety stakeholders• Multiple rounds of input on symbol design and testing results through virtual meetings
and a structured feedback process
• Applies the standardized Incident Symbology Guideline to ensure consistency with all incident-level symbols• http://bit.ly/2dPrSYF
Focused on Event Codes Used in Emergencies47 Code of Federal Regulations Ch. 1, Part 11 Subpart B (11.31)
Event codes in orange have a corresponding
symbol.
Event codes in blue are primarily for
administration and testing, and do not yet
have a symbol.
Nature of Activation Event Codes
National Codes (Required):
Emergency Action Notification (National only) .......... EAN
National Information Center ...................................... NIC
National Periodic Test ............................................... NPT
Required Monthly Test .............................................. RMT
Required Weekly Test ............................................... RWT
State and Local Codes (Optional):
Administrative Message ............................................ ADR
Avalanche Warning ................................................... AVW
Avalanche Watch ....................................................... AVA
Blizzard Warning ....................................................... BZW
Child Abduction Emergency ...................................... CAE
Civil Danger Warning ................................................ CDW
Civil Emergency Message ......................................... CEM
Coastal Flood Warning .............................................. CFW
Coastal Flood Watch ................................................. CFA
Dust Storm Warning .................................................. DSW
Earthquake Warning .................................................. EQW
Evacuation Immediate ............................................... EVI
Extreme Wind Warning……………………………EWW
Fire Warning .............................................................. FRW
Flash Flood Warning ................................................. FFW
Flash Flood Watch .................................................... FFA
Flash Flood Statement .............................................. FFS
Flood Warning ........................................................... FLW
Flood Watch .............................................................. FLA
Flood Statement ........................................................ FLS
Hazardous Materials Warning ................................... HMW
High Wind Warning ................................................... HWW
High Wind Watch ....................................................... HWA
Hurricane Warning ..................................................... HUW
Hurricane Watch ........................................................ HUA
Hurricane Statement .................................................. HLS
Law Enforcement Warning ........................................ LEW
Local Area Emergency .................................................LAE
Network Message Notification ................................... NMN
911 Telephone Outage Emergency .............................TOE
Nuclear Power Plant Warning .....................................NUW
Practice/Demo Warning ............................................. DMO
Radiological Hazard Warning .................................... RHW
Severe Thunderstorm Warning ................................. SVR
Severe Thunderstorm Watch .................................... SVA
Severe Weather Statement ....................................... SVS
Shelter in Place Warning ........................................... SPW
Special Marine Warning ............................................ SMW
Special Weather Statement ....................................... SPS
Storm Surge Watch………………………………….SSA
Storm Surge Warning……………………………….SSW
Tornado Warning ....................................................... TOR
Tornado Watch .......................................................... TOA
Tropical Storm Warning ............................................. TRW
Tropical Storm Watch ................................................ TRA
Tsunami Warning ...................................................... TSW
Tsunami Watch .......................................................... TSA
Volcano Warning ....................................................... VOW
Winter Storm Warning ............................................... WSW
Winter Storm Watch .................................................. WSA
Example IPAWS Event Code Descriptions
TYPE OF EVENT
EVENT CODE
(Specific Area
Message
Encoding, or
SAME)
Description: (Note: Watches are issued when an event is possible or expected within 12–48 hours, and
warnings are issued when an event is imminent or occurring)
Avalanche Warning AVW
A warning of current or imminent avalanche activity when avalanche danger is considered high or extreme. Authorized officials
may recommend or order protective actions according to state law or local ordinance when natural or human-triggered
avalanches are likely to affect roadways, structures, or backcountry activities.
Blizzard Warning BZW
A warning of sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph / 15 m/s or greater with heavy snow is forecast for a period of 3 hours
or more. A blizzard tends to reduce visibilities to 1/4 of a mile (400 m) or less. A Severe Blizzard Warning is a variety issued is
some cases of winds above 45 mph / 20 m/s and temperatures below 10°F/-12°C
Child Abduction
Emergency*CAE
An AMBER Alert or a Child Abduction Emergency is a child abduction alert system. Alerts usually contain a description of the
child and of the likely abductor. Criteria: (1) Law enforcement must confirm that an abduction has taken place. (2)The child
must be at risk of serious injury or death. (3) There must be sufficient descriptive information of child, captor, or captor's vehicle
to issue an alert. (4)The child must be under 18 years of age.
Civil Danger Warning CDW
A warning of an event that presents a danger to a significant civilian population. The CDW, which usually warns of a specific
hazard and gives specific protective action, has a higher priority than the Local Area Emergency (LAE). Examples include
contaminated water supply and imminent or in-progress military or terrorist attack. Public protective actions could include
evacuation, shelter in place, or other actions (such as boiling contaminated water or seeking medical treatment).
Civil Emergency Message CEMA warning meant to warn of an in-progress or imminent significant threat(s) to public safety and/or property. For example, the
CEM could be used to describe an alert issued by the National Terrorism Advisory System
Basic IPAWS Symbol Elements
• Primary - Single reserved shape applied public alert and warning symbols • Consistent with NAPSG Foundation Incident
Symbology Guideline
• Primary – Simple icons used to convey the specific threat, hazard, action, or event type for each of the key event codes.• When possible, used consistent icons established
for general hazard symbols.
• Secondary – Color of the triangle• Not necessary to understand basic message
Warning Watch Statement
Symbol Set for IPAWS – Part 1
napsgfoundation.org | @napsgfoundation
Emergency Action Notification
Avalanche Warning Avalanche Watch Blizzard Warning Child AbductionEmergency
Civil Danger Warning Civil Emergency Message
Coastal Flood Warning Costal Flood Watch Dust Storm Warning Earthquake Warning Evacuation Immediate Extreme Wind Warning Fire Warning
Flash Flood Warning Flash Flood Watch Flash Flood Statement Flood Warning Flood Watch Flood Statement Hazardous Materials Warning
High Wind Warning High Wind Watch Hurricane Warning Hurricane Watch Hurricane Statement Law Enforcement Warning
Local Area Emergency
Total of 48 IPAWS Event Codes Supported
Symbol Set for IPAWS Event Codes – Part 2
Total of 48 IPAWS Event Codes Supported
911 Telephone Outage Emergency
Nuclear Power PlantWarning
Radiological Hazard Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe ThunderstormWatch
Severe Weather Statement
Shelter In Place Warning
Special Marine Warning
Special Weather Statement Storm Surge Warning Storm Surge Watch Tornado Warning Tornado Watch Tropical Storm Warning
Tropical Storm Watch Tsunami Warning Tsunami Watch Volcano Warning Winter Storm Warning Winter Storm Watch
napsgfoundation.org | @napsgfoundation
How Are the Symbols Used Today?• Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)
• Emergency Alerting Systems (EAS)
• Computer and phone apps
• Television broadcasts of emergencies and incidents
How Do I Get Access to the Symbols?• Symbol Library Tool
• Publically available at no cost• http://bit.ly/2dO7V1i
• Multiple Formats Supported• PNG• SVG• True Type Font (TTF)• Style Sheets• Feature Service in ArcGIS Online
• Being integrated with IPAWS data service for use with GIS• https://gii.dhs.gov/ags/rest/services/GEP/IPAWS/MapSer
ver/0