Tech Notes from the Field

FEMA Announces Adoption Of New Standard For Emergency Alerts
Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:07:33 -0500

WASHINGTON,D.C.– The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced the adoption of a new
digital message format for the Integrated Public Alert and Warning
System (IPAWS), the nation’s next generation emergency alert and warning
network. The goal of IPAWS is to expand upon the traditional Emergency
Alert System by allowing emergency management officials to reach as many
people as possible over as many communications devices as possible,
such as radio, television, mobile phones, personal computers and other
communications devices. The current Emergency Alert System relies
largely on radio and television to communicate to people.