Integrated Public Alert and Warning System
The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is an architecture that unifies the United States' Emergency Alert System, National Warning System, Wireless Emergency Alerts, and NOAA Weather Radio, under a single platform. IPAWS was designed to modernize these systems by enabling alerts to be aggregated over a network and distributed to the appropriate system for public dissemination.[1]
This article is about a system in the United States. For the generic concept, see warning system.
In June 2006, following criticism over the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13407[2] ordering the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a new program to integrate and modernize the nation's existing population warning systems.
These systems include the:
The new network, subsequently termed the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is designed to integrate these various systems into one modern network, and also update them to take into account newer forms of communication such as cellular telephony and Cell Broadcast, satellite and cable television, electronic billboards and the internet.[3]
IPAWS-OPEN[edit]
Integrated Public Alert & Warning System Open Platform for Emergency Networks (IPAWS-OPEN) is an IP based network that has integrated the different emergency alert systems of the United States. Its purpose is to connect alert originators to a server which then aggregates and disseminates alerts to the proper systems. IPAWS-OPEN uses CAP.[7]