FEMA IPAWS Alerts feed

[RichOchs]

It would be really helpful if there were a Living Atlas layer of the FEMA Integratged Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) current and historical alerts. This would allow agencies to display alerts issued in their area overlaid with other emergency information on public maps. It could also be used to help analyze alert frequency, types, wording, and area for after action reviews. It may also (not sure about the back end) reduce the strain on the FEMA servers by having Living Atlas poll their server on a regular basis and then ArcGIS online customers use the Living Atlas feed as opposed to each individual AGOL account directly polling the FEMA IPAWS server. Information on the feed can be found here IPAWS All-Hazards Information Feed | FEMA.gov

[BernSzukalski]

Thanks for the idea. I will get this in front of the team and provide a response as to feasibility here.

[RichOchs]

Thanks Bern! PBS has a map for WEA alerts (I assume they are actually using the IPAWS feed), but it is only for current alerts, so analysis on historical alerting isn't available. I think that is one way the Living Atlas layer could differentiate itself, by being time-enabled somehow. The evolution of alerts, frequency, and content over time could be useful for emergency planners and the public.

[COSPNWGuy]

I completely agree on this one. Emergency information should have as many modalities of communication as possible. Emergency management is rapidly embracing maps to communicate both internally and externally to the public. FEMA's Administrator Deanne Criswell presented at this year's (2022) UC conference, making this a good time to resurrect this idea. I'm sure FEMA would be a very enthusiastic partner on this! 

On the ESRI side, this particular idea would be best implemented by the esri_livefeeds2 who can handle both real-time as well as a the historical repository aspect to this idea.

[COSPNWGuy]

I'm just wondering if there has been any movement on this idea yet or if we can get an update. It's been several years. With ESRI and FEMA being partners seems like this would be a no brainer to do and should be available in the living atlas. The fact that FEMA is pushing folks to the PBS map is laughable. ESRI is the technology that many emergency operations centers are being built around and not having federal emergency alerts as a layer seems amazing to me at this point.