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Denis GustyAlerts and Warnings Program ManagerFirst Responders GroupScience and Technology Directorate U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityJune 28, 2011

Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS)

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How do IPAWS and CMAS fit together?

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C D E

CMSPgateway

Wireless Network

C

Alternate C I/F

EAS Gateway

FEMA Administered

A

END SYSTEMS

B

AlertAggregator

EAS SystemEAS System

Future SystemsFuture SystemsState EOC

Local EOC

FederalAgencies

IPAWS & CMAS common subsystems

CMAS subsystems

Other IPAWS Alerting subsystems

ALERT ORIGINATORS

HazCollect SystemHazCollect System

CMASAlert Gateway

Future Systems Gateway

HazCollect Gateway

NCE or PBS DTV Station

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• The Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act of 2006* authorized several Executive agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to initiate activities toward the development of a Commercial Mobile Alert Service (CMAS).

• The WARN Act required the FCC to establish a Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee (CMSAAC) to develop initial recommendations for the development of CMAS.

Commercial Mobile Alert Service

* The WARN Act was included in the SAFE Port Act of 2006, Public Law 109-347

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Commercial Mobile Alert MessageAlert Categories

• Presidential• Imminent threat to life and property (e.g.,

severe weather, HazMat, earthquake)• AMBER Alert/child abduction

Alert Message Content• What is happening (event type or event

category)• Area affected (“in this area”)• Time with time zone (represented as a

distinct time - e.g., until 4:15PM EST)• Recommended action (response

description)• Sending agency (agency type - e.g., police,

fire, National Weather Service)

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CMAS RDT&E Phase I

CMAS RDT&E Phase I established a baseline and gathered requirements for the establishment of a robust RDT&E program for subsequent CMAS activities.

Activities•Current State Assessment •Stakeholder Engagement•Public Response Research

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Public Response Workshop

• The Public Response Workshop was held in partnership with the National Academies of Science to understand the current state of research of public response to alerts and warnings, with a specific focus on mobile alerting.

• Workshop panelists and participants consistently emphasized that successful implementation of a mobile alert system must take into account key factors that impact public response, such as message content, source credibility, and public education.

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Public Response Workshop

Key Findings

•The message content must be carefully crafted•In order to be effective, the message must be credible•The need for education, outreach, and training for both the public and alert originators•The use and influence of social media and social networking•Additional research is needed to address gaps in knowledge

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CMAS Phases II and III

• CMAS RDT&E Phase II activities are centered around grants, focusing on public response and geo-targeting R&D.

• Results from the Public Response Workshop report will be used as a starting point for our activities.

• Scope out work around a National test and regional pilots to determine needs and requirements for the National system.

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