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