Get Alerts, Stay Alive: Emergency Preparedness
October 1 - 11, 2014
We live in an age when an emergency or a natural disaster can happen in any community, at any time. An informed, alert, and connected citizenry can help save lives and protect property. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) can help all Americans be prepared to respond to emergencies where they live, work, go to school, or socialize.
NCPC Resources
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Community Participation in Homeland Security: This report summarizes the first-ever National Watch Groups Summit, discussing homeland security and community preparedness.
Crime Prevention Can Spur and Support Homeland Security in Neighborhoods and Communities: Part of a topical series, this report outlines similarities between crime prevention and suggests the benefits from having the two disciplines work together.
Disaster Preparedness: A Checklist: Do you have an emergency plan? An escape route? A supply of water? This guide features a checklist of helpful resources for protecting your family from disaster, natural or man-made.
Family Link-Up Plan: This two page template guides you through developing a family contact and shelter strategy.
Partner Resources
The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) program provides State, territorial, tribal, and local governments with the capability to integrate their alert and warning systems with the national alert and warning infrastructure. The IPAWS infrastructure was designed to enhance public safety through rapid dissemination of emergency messages to notify the American people in the preservation of life and property by using a variety of communication platforms. Currently, IPAWS provides alerts and warnings to the nation’s television, radio, satellite, wireline, and cable operators via the Emergency Alert System (EAS); to cooperating Commercial Mobile System Providers (CMSPs) for delivery to compatible cellular phones by Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA); to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) All Hazards Weather Radio (NWR) through the HazCollect program; to certain internet connected dissemination services; and other unique alerting systems.
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Kids WEA Fact Sheet: This fact sheet highlights and describes the text-like alerts that Americans can receive to prepare for emergencies in the area.
Amber Alert Fact Sheet (WEA): AMBER Alerts are urgent bulletins issued in the most serious child-abduction cases. The America’s Missing Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) Alert Program has coordinated with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to send out AMBER Wireless Emergency Alerts. Learn more about the details of receiving AMBER WEA’s in this fact sheet.
WEA Fact Sheet: Wireless Emergency Alerts, or WEAs, are free messages sent directly to your cell phone, warning you about severe weather, AMBER alerts and threats to safety in your area. This fact sheet provides the need-to-know information about receiving WEAs.
WEA FAQ’s: Learn the who, what, when, and where of WEA alerts available for mobile devices.
Ready.gov: Prepare. Plan. Stay informed. Learn how by visiting the website.
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute-American’s People Course, link: To support the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA's goals by improving the competencies of the U.S. officials in Emergency Management at all levels of government to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the potential effects of all types of disasters and emergencies on the American people. Learn how to apply and get involved in programs and activities on this website.
