class_docstr: Dispatch alerts to the alert processor.
class_docstr_tok: ["Dispatch","alerts","to","the","alert","processor","."]
docstr: Get an instance of the AlertMerger, using a cached version if possible.
docstr_tok: ["Get","an","instance","of","the","AlertMerger",",","using","a","cached","version","if","possible","."]
code: def get_instance(cls):
      """Get an instance of the AlertMerger, using a cached version if possible."""
      if not cls.ALERT_MERGER:
          cls.ALERT_MERGER = AlertMerger()
      return cls.ALERT_MERGER
  
file_path: streamalert/streamalert/alert_merger/main.py
imports: from datetime import datetime
  import json
  import os
  import boto3
  from streamalert.shared.alert import Alert, AlertCreationError
  from streamalert.shared.alert_table import AlertTable
  from streamalert.shared.logger import get_logger
  from streamalert.shared.metrics import ALERT_MERGER_NAME, MetricLogger
label_desc: Use image node_id 1 for calling the AlertMerger obj's underlying member method code with example usage: obj.get_instance(cls) and returns: cls