IPAWS Messaging User Guide Overview

The IPAWS Messaging plug-in is a simple and flexible tool that enables alerting authorities to send emergency messages to the general public through the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). This plug-in can be installed on WebEOC Nexus to allow authorized personnel in your agency to distribute alerts through four different channels: COGs, EAS, NWEM, and WEA.

To gain access to IPAWS, your agency needs to sign an agreement with FEMA. The agreement enables FEMA to issue a COG (Collaborative Operating Group) ID and a digital certificate that you can use for exchanging messages with other COGs.

This guide describes how to use the IPAWS Messaging plug-in. It gives you an overview of how to send different types of IPAWS messages and manage received messages.

If IPAWS Messaging is not available to you, verify with your administrator that you have the appropriate access permissions.

In IPAWS Messaging, a mode represents a system setup that controls how the messages are sent. IPAWS Messaging has two modes: production and demonstration. See Modes for details.