Emergency Alert System May Go Commercial

Federal emergency managers are considering replacing their current custom built system for notifying the public about emergencies with a commercial alternative, contracting documents show.

The custom built system, known as the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System - Open Platform for Emergency Networks, or IPAWS-OPEN, has not met a slate of minimum standards, such as operating with 99.9 percent uptime and allowing the president and other officials to alert the public about emergencies within 10 minutes, according to contracting documents posted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Dec. 20.