[EAS] Google Public Alerts

[Sean Donelan]

On Fri, 27 Jan 2012, Richard_Rudman wrote:
> I love Google, but does anyone else think this might not be a good 
>thing for them to do without coordinating their efforts with all warning 
>stakeholders?

Wasn't that the point of creating a Common Alerting Protocol?

   Key benefits of CAP will include reduction of costs and operational
   complexity by eliminating the need for multiple custom software
   interfaces to the many warning sources and dissemination systems
   involved in all-hazard warning. The CAP message format can be converted
   to and from the "native" formats of all kinds of sensor and alerting
   technologies, forming a basis for a technology-independent national and
   international "warning internet."

How do news directors feel about it?  Is Google Public Alerts much 
different than other news aggregators, such as AP newswire, using 
reporters to collect information from many different official and other 
sources and then redistributing the stories to their members?  I don't 
think any PIO expects reporters to wait patiently to receive official 
information.  A potential advantage using CAP is it can provide an ongoing 
feed of official information before, during and after a disaster; instead 
of being limited like EAS.

NOAA and USGS information feeds are open for public use on their web 
sites. Access isn't limited to just the traditional news media.  You don't 
need a signed agreement with NOAA or USGS to get an unofficial feed
from their web sites.

State and local CAP servers vary, some are open and others are closed.