1 presented by dan bart, breakout session moderator december 15, 2005 report from breakout session...

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Presented byDan Bart, Breakout Session Moderator

December 15, 2005

Report from Breakout Session #3Government to

Individuals/Organizations

Breakout Session #3 to WorkshopDecember 15, 2005 Slide 2

Overview

33 participants in the breakout session, Nielsen Ratings stated the No.1 highest rated Breakout!

5 presentations delivered Addressed many of the same issues as the 2004 Breakout, “how to you

alert the public in the quickest time” to cause them to “take action” to avert loss of life and property, what technologies are being used? Could be used? What is DHS/FEMA doing? Also push of information post event.

Lively discussions, ran out of time again, many things being considered/studied, field-trials in-work, there could also be legislative guidance too.

Also need to address persons with disabilities and native language issues.


FEMA Disaster Management eGov Initiative

Presentation by Chip Hines, Federal Program Manager, Department of Homeland Security/FEMA Provide the capability to share incident information

horizontally and vertically Provide free basic incident management tools Ensure response staff is trained and experienced in using these

tools Encourage a culture that promotes information sharing Create a practitioner-driven, public-private partnership to

produce information exchange standards relating to incident management



Presentation by Chip Hines, Federal Program Manager, Department of Homeland Security/FEMA (cont’d)

Provide a single source of access to information and services relating to disasters Enhance the nation’s ability to cope with incidents by increasing the ability to

share information during emergencies Incident management data standards National standards driven by practioners, not Federal agencies - Public

standards Implemented

– CAP 1.0 and 1.1 Approval Pending

– Distribution Element– Resource Management

In Development– HAVE Beds

Pending Development– Situational Reports



Presentation by Chip Hines, Federal Program Manager, Department of Homeland Security/FEMA (cont’d)

CAP 1.0 and 1.1– NOAA HazCollect– Global Tsunami Alerting System– CapWin– USGS Earthquake


Issues Surrounding Wireless Emergency Alert Systems

Presentation by Dan Bart, on behalf of Art Prest, Managing Director, Art Prest & Associates

Rural Cellular Association, smaller/rural providers Emergency Alert System and Congressional AHALERT

Bill Alternatives being discussed:

SMS Cell Broadcast New Technologies



Presentation by Dan Bart, on behalf of Art Prest, Managing Director, Art Prest & Associates WARN ACT (cont’d) will enable any Federal, State, tribal, or local government official

with credentials issued by the National Alert Office under section 103 to alert the public to any imminent threat that presents a significant risk of injury or death to the public;

will be flexible enough in its application to permit narrowly targeted alerts in circumstances in which only a small geographic area is exposed or potentially exposed to the threat

will transmit alerts across the greatest possible variety of communications technologies, including digital and analog broadcasts, cable and satellite television, satellite and terrestrial radio, wireless communications, wireline communications, and the Internet to reach the largest portion of the affected population.



Presentation by Dan Bart, on behalf of Art Prest, Managing Director, Art Prest & Associates WARN ACT (cont’d)

Cell Broadcast EAS Issues: Standards exist, commercial products do not Would require change out of handsets (all CDMA; some GSM) Existing GSM Cell Broadcast technology reduces battery “talk time” Interface from Cell Broadcast Center to BSC not standardized or developed High Carrier Involvement: wireless carrier would have to parse EAS

messages and distribute them to the appropriate cell sites as required Message length limited (256 characters for CDMA & 93 for GSM) High cost and no revenue potential by itself (message sent to all handsets &

acknowledged by none) – ETSI reports that this is a barrier to deployment in Europe



Presentation by Dan Bart, on behalf of Art Prest, Managing Director, Art Prest & Associates WARN ACT (cont’d) Recommends: Integrate NOAA NWS Public Alert Radio Receiver

Capability Into Cell Phone: Backward compatible with existing EAS system 97% of population of US, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Guam covered Messages can be geographic specific using SAME codes

– Specific Area Message Encoding uses a Six digit code based on FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) codes

– Possible to define ~9,000 specific geographic areas per State Audio message length unlimited Carrier is not responsible for disseminating EAS messages Minimal impact on network


Public Warning/Incident Command Issues

Presentation by Kendall Post, Chief Technology Officer, Alert Systems, Inc. Internal Communications

Command & Control Radio (SafeCom) “Battle Management” IT Tools

External Communications Sensor Info Public Warnings External Resource Mobilization Interagency Notification Supply Chain Management



Presentation by Kendall Post, Chief Technology Officer, Alert Systems, Inc. (cont’d) Warning / mobilization / notification activities take 8 to 15

minutes Timeframe is too long to use threat and evacuation modeling,

and other advanced methods during initial procedures. GOAL: Deliver warnings to at least 85% of affected

public in 90 seconds. Perform warning / mobilization / notification activities in

under 2 minutes.Deliver vs. Issue

Affected = geographic / audience specific



Presentation by Kendall Post, Chief Technology Officer, Alert Systems, Inc. (cont’d)

Recommends: Cell Casting and Smart Receivers Uses signaling channel, one message per cell site, broadcast

technique Other Issues:

Offering Presidential Directives Proposing Legislation – National Incident Command Architecture

Act Proposing public / private partnership to draft nation’s 1st master

plan for National Incident Command / Decision Support System in 90 days.

Offering recommendations from research to ANSI HS Standards Panel.


Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA)

Presentation by Bob Bolster, Director for Government Affairs, CTIA given in the AM on WARN ACT


Mobile Wireless Broadband for Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) and Intelligent Transportation Systems

Presentation by Joanne Wilson, Vice President Standards, ArrayComm Many agencies have their own communications systems

Proprietary equipment Different bands Different protocols Inconsistent capabilities for voice and data

Problem compounded across adjoining jurisdictions that need to to cooperate

Biggest issues: Lack of interoperability

– An inconvenience for routine operations– A potential calamity in emergencies

Limited spectrally efficiency– Limits the data rates available –precious time wasted for large downloads– Limits number of users supported, particularly during emergencies– Increases CapEx and OpEx of Public Safety networks



Presentation by Joanne Wilson, Vice President Standards, ArrayComm (cont’d)

Requirements: Immediate, wide area, high-speed communications Ability to supplement or replace primary communication

networks Provide stationary and mobile communications

Flexible, familiar user-interface Standard terminal equipment and application software Flexible, multi-tiered command and control structure



Presentation by Joanne Wilson, Vice President Standards, ArrayComm (cont’d)

Recommends Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) with VoIP Provides a consistent, robust capability that

Works for all routine operations Provides priority for emergency operations

Provides high-speed access to data, including private Internet sites Graphical, text, or speech output Commercial vehicle cargo (esp. hazmat) Building floor plans for firefighters Medical data for ambulances Vehicle (and other) records for police Maps and facility records for major emergencies and evacuation

Can be installed for public authority communications Police, fire, ambulance Traffic authorities Bus and trains Collect / provide information to the public

Provided data on current standards status for BWA


Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)

Dan Bart discussed PPT given by FEMA at Gallaudet Conference on Accessible Emergency Notification and Communications http://tap.gallaudet.edu/emergencycommconf.htm

IPAWS is: A DHS-sponsored program to improve public alert and warning System of warning systems (includes both current & new systems)

DHS led, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and others

Congress provided $20 million to improve public warning Coordinated with White House Task Force on Effective Warning,

co-chaired by DHS and NOAA



Dan Bart discussed PPT given by FEMA at Gallaudet Conference on Accessible Emergency Notification and Communications (Cont’d) Digital Emergency Alert System (DEAS) Pilot

Geo–Targeted Alerting System (GTAS)

DHS Web Alert Relay Network (DHS WARN)

All–Hazard Web Alert Portal (AWAP) Pilot

Emergency Alert System (EAS) satellite and network upgrade

NOAA network upgrades & all-hazards radios in public schools

Reports, IPAWS architecture, exercises, and public education



Dan Bart discussed PPT given by FEMA at Gallaudet Conference on Accessible Emergency Notification and Communications (Cont’d) END STATE: A technologically enhanced public warning system that:

Provides DHS, State, and local officials with multiple means to provide the general public with timely alert and warning

Serves people with disabilities and those who do not speak English Improves security, addressability, reliability, and survivability Uses international standards and non-proprietary solutions Leverages public/private partnerships for cost-effective solutions Provides effective warning at all times, in all places, over multiple media

Develop and execute evolving IPAWS architectures, tests and exercises, and other evaluations

Empower, educate, and protect the public


Challenges/Issues Identified

Lots of standards exist already and included in PPTs including CAP, BWA, etc.

Does not appear to be single consensus on a National Architectural approach, thus, many things being considered

SMS not a good choice for widescale, time-sensitive alerts Some wide-area broadcast technique best, but various

technology views, NOAA exists, satellites have large footprint but signal does not penetrate as well, cell Broadcast with enhancements technically can work, but not widely used now

Experimental system data feedback desired WE NEED BETTER ALERTING SYSTEMS, one that will

cause folks to take action, and secure and reliable Must consider persons with disabilities and language issues or

we are not alerting all individuals


Standards Identified During Session

Many standards in details of PPTs


Gap Areas for Standards

Areas that people identified where standards are needed but don’t exist

Ran out of time but most SDOs have active contributions on new projects to meet needs

FCC NPRM and Order may offer new needs WARN ACT, if passed, can drive new needs


Action Items and Next Steps

Progressing work further, including any specifics about tracking standards in a matrix or other format HSSP Secretariat needs to load known standards into

HSSD Desire to have possibly conference call meetings of

core stakeholders Desire to have Emergency Communications listserv to

bounce ideas and post new information

1 presented by dan bart, breakout session moderator december 15, 2005 report from breakout session...

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