In 2004, FEMA initiated IPAWS to integrate EAS and other public-alerting  systems into a larger, more comprehensive public-alerting system. IPAWS Capabilities Have Improved, but Barriers to Implementation Exist

		FEMA has Increased Federal, State, and Local Alerting Capabilities Since 2009

Since we reported on these issues in 2009, FEMA has taken actions to  improve IPAWS capabilities. As of January 2012, public-alerting authorities can disseminate  CAP-formatted EAS alerts through the alert aggregator to television  and radio stations. Starting in April 2012, public-alerting authorities can use  IPAWS to transmit alerts via the CMAS interface to disseminate  mobile alerts, which are geo-targeted, text-like messages to mobile  phones. Internet services. State and local alerting systems. Adopted CAP standard. Barriers Remain to Fully Implementing and Using IPAWS

Although FEMA has taken important steps to advance an integrated  alerting system, barriers exist that may impede IPAWS implementation at  the state and local level. For example, officials in one  state said that while they are prepared to use IPAWS, they have not  yet integrated their state and local alerting systems with IPAWS, citing  a need for additional guidance from FEMA and communication within  the state to determine what systems and policies should be put in  place to integrate IPAWS with public-alerting systems in the state’s  128 counties and cities. Nevertheless, in the absence of additional FEMA guidance, some  states are reluctant to fully implement IPAWS, a reluctance that  decreases the capability for an integrated, interoperable, and  nationwide alerting system. Most Reporting EAS Participants Received and Retransmitted the Test Alert, but Federal Efforts to Address Identified Weaknesses Are Limited

		Results of the Nationwide EAS Test

Our analysis of FCC data found that approximately 82 percent of  reporting broadcasters (radio and television) and cable operators  received the November 2011 nationwide test alert. As shown in figure 3, the reception of the alert ranged  from approximately 6 percent (in Oregon) to 100 percent (in Delaware)  among the states. Without a PEP station,  broadcasters and cable operators in Oregon were directed to monitor a  Portland-based public radio station, which reported receiving poor audio  quality of the alert from its designated monitoring source—the National  Public Radio satellite network. FCC also reported that poor audio quality of the  national-level alert signal resulted in problems ranging from some  broadcasters’ receiving a garbled and degraded audio message to  others’ receiving a duplicate alert tone that caused equipment to  malfunction. Outdated monitoring assignments. Equipment failures. Limited Federal Efforts to Address Identified Issues

At the time of our review, FCC and FEMA had taken limited steps to  address problems identified in the nationwide EAS test. According to  FEMA officials, the poor audio quality that was experienced during the  test is being addressed, in part, with the deployment of a dedicated PEP  satellite network, but the remaining issues have yet to be resolved. Concerning future tests, FCC rules require a nationwide EAS test to be  conducted periodically, but it is uncertain when the next test will occur. Without ongoing, regular nationwide  testing of the relay distribution system, there is no assurance the EAS  would work should the President need to activate it to communicate with  the American people. Recommendations for Executive Action

To ensure that IPAWS is fully functional and capable of distributing alerts  through multiple pathways as intended, we recommend that the Secretary  of Homeland Security direct the Administrator of FEMA to take the  following four actions:  In conjunction with FCC, establish guidance (e.g., procedures, best  practices) that will assist participating state and local alerting  authorities to fully implement and test IPAWS components and ensure  integration and interoperability. In conjunction with FCC, develop and implement a strategy for  regularly testing the national-level EAS, including examining the need   for a national test code, developing milestones and time frames,  improving data collection efforts, and reporting on after-action plans. Agency Comments

We provided a draft of this report to DHS, FCC, and the Department of  Commerce for their review and comment. In response, DHS concurred  with all of the report’s recommendations to improve IPAWS capabilities. The Department of Commerce provided technical comments from its  component agency NOAA, and we incorporated them as appropriated. Specifically, the report examines (1) how the capabilities of the  Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) have changed  since 2009 and what barriers, if any, are affecting its implementation and  (2) the results of the nationwide EAS test and federal efforts under way to  address identified weaknesses. Specifically, we examined FCC’s  and FEMA’s preliminary reports on the nationwide EAS test results; FCC  orders and rules on EAS; FCC’s website on the nationwide EAS test;  FEMA’s EAS Best Practices Guide; and briefing documents from FEMA  and NOAA.
Why GAO Did This Study

An effective system to alert the public during emergencies can help reduce property damage and save lives. In 2004, FEMA initiated IPAWS with the goal of integrating the nation's EAS and other public-alerting systems into a comprehensive alerting system. In 2009, GAO reported on long-standing weaknesses with EAS and FEMA's limited progress in implementing IPAWS. Subsequently, FEMA and FCC conducted the first-ever nationwide EAS test in November 2011. GAO was asked to review recent efforts to implement IPAWS and improve EAS. GAO examined: (1) how IPAWS capabilities have changed since 2009 and what barriers, if any, affect its implementation and (2) results of the nationwide EAS test and federal efforts to address identified weaknesses. GAO reviewed FEMA, FCC, and other documentation, and interviewed industry stakeholders and alerting authorities from six locations that were selected because they have public-alerting systems in addition to EAS and experienced problems during the nationwide EAS test.

What GAO Found

Since 2009, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has taken actions to improve the capabilities of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and to increase federal, state, and local capabilities to alert the public, but barriers remain to fully implementing an integrated system. Specifically, IPAWS has the capability to receive and authenticate Internet-based alerts from federal, state, and local public authorities and disseminate them to the public through multiple systems. For example, since January 2012, publicalerting authorities can disseminate Emergency Alert System (EAS) messages through IPAWS to television and radio stations. Beginning in April 2012, alerting authorities have used IPAWS to transmit alerts via the Commercial Mobile Alert System interface to disseminate text-like messages to mobile phones. FEMA also adopted alert standards and increased coordination efforts with multiple stakeholders. Although FEMA has taken important steps to advance an integrated system, state and local alerting authorities we contacted cited a need for more guidance from FEMA on how to integrate and test IPAWS capabilities with their existing alerting systems. For example, an official with a state alerting authority said that additional guidance from FEMA is needed to determine what systems and policies should be put in place before integrating and testing IPAWS with other public alerting systems in the state's 128 counties and cities. In the absence of sufficient guidance from FEMA, states we contacted are reluctant to fully implement IPAWS. This reluctance decreases the capability for an integrated, interoperable, and nationwide alerting system.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required all EAS participants (e.g., broadcast radio and television, cable operators, satellite radio and television service providers, and wireline video-service providers) to submit a report to FCC by December 27, 2011, on the results of the nationwide EAS test. As of January 2013, 61 percent of broadcasters and cable operators had submitted the required report. Of those, 82 percent reported receiving the nationwide test alert, and 61 percent reported successfully retransmitting the alert to other stations, as required. Broadcasters' and cable operators' reception of the alert varied by state, from 6 percent in Oregon to 100 percent in Delaware. Key reasons for reception or retransmission difficulties included poor audio quality, outdated broadcaster-monitoring assignments, and equipment failure. For example, poor audio quality of the test alert resulted in some broadcasters' receiving a garbled and degraded audio message and others' receiving a duplicate alert that caused equipment to malfunction. According to FEMA officials, the poor audio quality is being addressed, in part, with the deployment of a dedicated satellite network that will become fully operational by fall 2013. However, at the time of our review, FEMA and FCC had taken few steps to address other problems identified in the nationwide test. Furthermore, while FCC rules call for periodic nationwide EAS testing, it is uncertain when the next test will occur. Without a strategy for regular nationwide testing of the relay distribution system, including developing milestones and timeframes and reporting on after-action plans, there is no assurance that EAS would work as intended should the President need to activate it to communicate with the American people.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that FEMA work in conjunction with FCC to establish guidance for states to fully implement and test IPAWS components and implement a strategy for regular nationwide EAS testing. In response, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) concurred with GAO's recommendations and provided examples of actions aimed at addressing the recommendations. DHS, FCC, and the Department of Commerce also provided technical comments, which have been incorporated as appropriate.