OpenFEMA Dataset: IPAWS Archived Alerts - v1
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Entity Name | IpawsArchivedAlerts |
| API Endpoint | https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/IpawsArchivedAlerts |
| Update Frequency | R/PT2M |
| Program URL | https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system |
| Category | Emergency Management/Preparedness/Alerts |
| Keywords | IPAWS |
Description
The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is a modernization of the nation's alert and warning infrastructure that unifies the United States' Emergency Alert System (EAS), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio, and other public alerting systems implemented as a set of Web services. IPAWS was designed to modernize these systems by enabling alerts to be aggregated over a network and distributed to the appropriate system for public dissemination.
Organized and managed by FEMA, the system supports alert origination by Federal, state, local, territorial and tribal officials, and subsequent dissemination to the public using a range of national and local alerting systems.
This data set contains recent*, historic, and archived IPAWS Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) v1.2 messages from June 2012 to the present including date, time, event code (examples listed below), city, county, joint agency, police, law enforcement, Collaborative Operating Group (COG), State(s), locality, territory or tribe. It can be used to capture and analyze historic and archived messages.
*The dataset is published with a twenty-four (24) hour delay to reduce the risk of being confused with an active alert received from the live IPAWS feed. The most recent record will reflect the alert(s) sent twenty-four (24) hours ago (if such records exist). For example, if an alert originator sent an alert at 1459GMT on June 1st and sent a different alert at 1600GMT on June 2nd, these alerts will not be visible in the dataset until 1459GMT on June 2nd and 1600GMT June 3rd respectively. Information on signing up for receiving active alerts can be found at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system . To request access to alerts issued through IPAWS or for a list of companies with access to the IPAWS All-Hazards Information Feed, email ipaws@fema.dhs.gov.
The data elements within the CAP messages are well documented and can be found in the following technical document: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf
See also:
IPAWS Architecture - https://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/ipaws/architecture_diagram.pdf
IPAWS Overview - https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system
This is raw, unedited data with no personally identifiable information from the IPAWS Alert Aggregator from June 2012 to the present created by over 1450 Alert Originators across the country. FEMA does not validate the content of each message. As such, it may contain a small percentage of human error. OpenFEMA does not have a full backup capability so if the site goes down, the information will be inaccessible. This is a rare occurrence.
Earlier messages may contain non-compliant geocoordinates. Recent versions of the software check these coordinates for compliance.
This dataset is not intended to be an official federal report and should not be considered an official federal report. If you are using this site for other than research purposes, please understand that these CAP messages are captured only after the official IPAWS message has been sent.
Note that the original IPAWS CAP message is provided in the originalMessage element of the returned JSON object. The XML based message is encoded such that a separate tool, such as a JSON parser, computer language, or browser must be used to view the original format. If no such tool is available to you, online utilities exist, such as https://codebeautify.org/json-escape-unescape that will decode the message. See the originalMessage field description for additional details.
Due to its size and its hierarchical data structure, working with the IPAWS Archived Alerts file can be challenging. See the OpenFEMA Guide to Working with Large Data Sets page for useful hints and tips: https://www.fema.gov/about/openfema/working-with-large-data-sets . The Developer Resources page has sample IPAWS API queries in the section called IPAWS Archived Alerts Query Examples: https://www.fema.gov/about/openfema/developer-resources
If you have media inquiries about this dataset, please email the FEMA News Desk at FEMA-News-Desk@fema.dhs.gov or call (202) 646-3272. For inquiries about FEMA's data and Open Government program, please email the OpenFEMA team at OpenFEMA@fema.dhs.gov. IPAWS specific queries should be directed to IPAWS@fema.dhs.gov.
Full Data
| Format | Address | Record Count | Approximate File Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| json | Link to json | 4854281 | large (500MB - 10GB) |
| jsona | Link to jsona | 4854281 | large (500MB - 10GB) |
| jsonl | Link to jsonl | 4854281 | large (500MB - 10GB) |
Data Fields
| Name | Title | Type | Description | Is Searchable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| originalMessage | Original XML Message |
text
|
The container for all component parts of the alert XML message. Please note that the original XML message as delivered by the API in a JSON format contains encoded content. That is, certain characters, double quotes for example, are escaped such that the original format is preserved. This content can be decoded with JSON parsers, computer languages, and some web browsers to see the raw XML format. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | no |
| identifier | Identifier |
text
|
The identifier of the alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | yes |
| sender | Sender |
text
|
The identifier of the sender of the alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | yes |
| sent | Sent Date |
datetimez
|
The time and date of the origination of the alert message. Note that the original CAP message sent date defines a UTC offset and that OpenFEMA converts this date to UTC Zulu time. If you need the exact representation of the sent data as it appears in the CAP message, see the Original XML Message field. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | yes |
| status | Status |
text
|
The code denoting the appropriate handling of the alert message. Code Values: Actual - Actionable by all targeted recipients; Exercise - Actionable only by designated exercise participants; exercise identifier SHOULD appear in |
yes |
| msgType | Message Type |
text
|
The code denoting the nature of the alert message. Code Values: Alert -Initial information requiring attention by targeted recipients; Update -Updates and supersedes the earlier message(s) identified in |
yes |
| source | Source |
text
|
The text identifying the source of the alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | yes |
| scope | Scope |
text
|
The code denoting the intended distribution of the alert message. Code Values: Public - For general dissemination to unrestricted audiences. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | yes |
| restriction | Restriction |
text
|
The text describing the rule for limiting distribution of the restricted alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | yes |
| addresses | Addresses |
text
|
The group listing of intended recipients of the alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | yes |
| code | Code |
text
|
The code denoting the special handling of the alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | no |
| note | Note |
text
|
The text describing the purpose or significance of the alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | no |
| searchGeometry | Search Geometry |
geojson
|
This field includes the GeoJSON of all of the well-formed geometries found in the info.area fields (polygon and circle). This field is included to facilitate geospatial queries to find alerts | yes |
| references | References |
references[]
|
The group listing identifying earlier message(s) referenced by the alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | no |
| incidents | Incidents |
text
|
The group listing naming the referent incident(s) of the alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | no |
| info | Information |
info[]
|
The container for all component parts of the info sub-element of the alert message as an array. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | yes |
| cogId | COG ID |
integer
|
The COG Identifier Associated with the COG Profile | yes |
| info.language | Info.Language |
text
|
The code denoting the language of the info sub-element of the alert message | no |
| info.category | Info.Category |
text
|
The code from the element denoting the category associated with the subject event of the alert message (See CAPv1.2 standard for code values) | no |
| info.event | Info.Event |
text
|
The text from the element denoting the type of the subject event associated with the alert message | no |
| info.responseType | Info.ResponseType |
string[]
|
The code from the element denoting the type of action for the target audience for the alert message (See CAPv1.2 standard for code values) | no |
| info.urgency | Info.Urgency |
text
|
The code from the element denoting the urgency associated with the subject event of the alert message (See CAPv1.2 standard for code values) | no |
| info.severity | Info.Severity |
text
|
The code from the element denoting the severity associated with the subject event of the alert message (See CAPv1.2 standard for code values) | no |
| info.certainty | Info.Certainty |
text
|
The code from the element denoting the certainty associated with the subject event of the alert message (See CAPv1.2 standard for code values) | no |
| info.audience | Info.Audience |
text
|
The text describing the intended audience of the alert message | no |
| info.eventCode | Info.EventCode |
any[]
|
The code from the element identifying the event type of the alert message. The data is transformed from the original format of valueName value {valueName: value} to better align with JSON structures. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | yes |
| info.effective | Info.Effective |
datetime
|
The effective time of the information of the alert message | yes |
| info.onset | Info.Onset |
datetime
|
The expected time of the beginning of the subject event of the alert message | no |
| info.expires | Info.Expires |
datetime
|
The expiry time of the information of the alert message | yes |
| info.senderName | Info.SenderName |
text
|
The text from the element naming the originator of the alert message | no |
| info.headline | Info.Headline |
text
|
The text headline from the element of the alert message. If the value for element is not included in the alert, the following text shall be persisted in the metadata record and returned in the message list: 'No Headline' | no |
| info.description | Info.Description |
text
|
The text describing the subject event of the alert message | no |
| info.instruction | Info.Instruction |
text
|
The text describing the recommended action to be taken by recipients of the alert message | no |
| info.web | Info.Web |
text
|
The identifier of the hyperlink associating additional information with the alert message | no |
| info.contact | Info.Contact |
text
|
The text describing the contact for follow-up and confirmation of the alert message | no |
| info.parameter | Info.Parameter |
object[]
|
A system specific additional parameter associated with the alert message. The data is transformed from the original format of valueName value {valueName: value} to better align with JSON structures. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | no |
| eventCode | Event Code |
eventCode[]
|
This field includes all of the event Codes from each of the info objects contained in the alert. Each info object still maintains its own event codes. This is used to facilitate searches for any alerts that may contain a specific eventCode. The code from the element identifying the event type of the alert message. The data is transformed from the original format of valueName value {valueName: value} to better align with JSON structures. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | yes |
| info.resource | Info.Resource |
resource[]
|
The container for all component parts of the resource sub-element of the info sub-element of the alert element | no |
| info.resource.resourceDesc | Resource.Description |
text
|
The text describing the type and content of the resource file | no |
| info.resource.mimeType | Resource.MimeType |
text
|
The identifier of the MIME content type and sub-type describing the resource file | no |
| info.resource.size | Resource.Size |
integer
|
The integer indicating the size of the resource file. Approximate size of the resource file in bytes | no |
| info.resource.uri | Resource.URI |
text
|
The identifier of the hyperlink for the resource file | yes |
| info.resource.derefUri | Resource.derefUri |
text
|
Deference URI - file that is converted into machine readable, base 64 coding for image, or mp3 file | no |
| info.resource.digest | Resource.Digest |
text
|
The code representing the digital digest (hash) computed from the resource file | no |
| info.references.sender | References.Sender |
text
|
The identifier of the sender of the alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | no |
| info.references.identifier | References.Identifier |
text
|
The identifier of the alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | no |
| info.references.sent | References.Sent |
date
|
The time and date of the origination of the alert message. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | no |
| info.area | Info.Area |
area[]
|
The container for all component parts of the area sub-element of the info sub-element of the alert message | no |
| info.area.areaDesc | Info.Area.AreaDesc |
text
|
The text from the |
no |
| info.area.polygon | Info.Area.Polygon |
geojson
|
The paired value of points defining a polygon that delineates the affected area of the alert message. A value shall be persisted in a single metadata record as a Boolean (Metadata value shall be 'Y' or 'N'), indicating the existence or non-existence of polygon data. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | no |
| info.area.circle | Info.Area.Circle |
geojson
|
The paired value of a point and radius defining a circle that delineates the affected area of the alert message. A value shall be persisted in a single metadata record as a Boolean (Metadata value shall be 'Y' or 'N'), indicating the existence or non-existence of circle data. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | no |
| info.area.geocode | Info.Area.Geocode |
object[]
|
The geographic code in the element delineating the affected area of alert message. The data is transformed from the original format of valueName value {valueName: value} to better align with JSON structures. For additional information on the metadata, please see the IPAWS Data Dictionary URL: https://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.pdf | yes |
| info.area.altitude | Info.Area.Altitude |
decimal
|
The specific or minimum altitude of the affected area of the alert message | no |
| info.area.ceiling | Info.Area.Ceiling |
decimal
|
The maximum altitude of the affected area of the alert message | no |
| id | ID |
uuid
|
Unique ID assigned to the record | yes |
| xmlns | XML Name Space |
text
|
Name space for the XML MessagE | no |
See Also
ReferencesAccess the metadata API calls for additional information: