[CAP] GAO Report on Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)

[David E. Price, SRO, CHMM]

This report is very critical of FEMA and DHS inaction and lack of 
progress. It mentions CAP several times.

David E. Price  SRO, CHMM
Senior Consequence Analyst for Special Projects, CBRNE
   (Nuclear, Chemical, Biological, and Explosives Accident/Safety Analyses)
Counterproliferation & Operational Intelligence Support
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
P. O. Box 808  L-073
Livermore, CA  USA  94551
======================================
Emergency Preparedness: Improved Planning and Coordination Necessary 
for Development of Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, 
GAO-09-1044T, September 30, 2009

<http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d091044t.pdf>

"IPAWS will make use of the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), which is 
an open, non-proprietary digital message standard compatible with 
multiple applications and telecommunication methods. CAP has been 
developed for use by emergency management officials in sending all 
types of alert messages and can be used as a single input to activate 
multiple warning systems. FEMA-required by the executive order to 
adopt alert standards and protocols-intends to adopt CAP and to 
publish its IPAWS CAP Profile standard.

"FEMA began initiatives related to IPAWS in 2004, yet national-level 
alert capabilities have remained unchanged and new standards and 
technologies have not been adopted. IPAWS has operated without a 
consistent strategic vision and has been adversely affected by 
shifting program vision, lack of continuity in planning and program 
direction, and poorly organized program information from which to 
make management decisions. Therefore, as state and local governments 
are developing their alert systems, IPAWS program implementation has 
stalled and many of its functional goals have yet to reach 
operational capacity. Additionally, FEMA's investment in the IPAWS 
pilot projects-seed initiatives intended to test alert technologies 
and form the foundation of IPAWS-has resulted in few lessons learned 
and few advances in alert and warning systems. Furthermore, FEMA does 
not report on IPAWS spending or progress in achieving goals, which 
limits transparency and accountability for program results.

"Additionally, local officials we surveyed had little to no 
communication with FEMA, were generally unaware of the IPAWS program, 
and overall, lacked an understanding of the CAP alert standard. "
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