Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) 1
Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) 1 : "The Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) is a simple but general format for exchanging all-hazard emergency alerts and public warnings over all kinds of communication and information networks. (1) CAP allows a consistent warning message to be transmitted simultaneously over many different warning systems, thus increasing warning effectiveness while simplifying the warning task. (2) CAP also can facilitate the detection of emerging patterns in local warnings of various kinds, such as might indicate an undetected natural hazard or a hostile act. (3) In addition, CAP offers a template for effective warning messages based on best practices identified in academic research and realworld experience. CAP implements the National Science and Technology Council's call in November, 2000 for "a standard method... to collect and relay instantaneously and automatically all types of hazard warnings and reports locally, regionally and nationally for input into a wide variety of dissemination systems". The Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) specifies an open, non-proprietary digital message format for all types of alerts and notifications. The CAP format is fully compatible with existing formats including the Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME or WR-SAME) used for NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System, while offering enhanced capabilities that include: (1) Flexible geographic targeting using latitude/longitude "boxes" and other geospatial representations in three dimensions; (2) Multilingual and multi-audience messaging;(3) Phased and delayed effective times and expirations; (4) Enhanced message update and cancellation features; (5) Template support for framing complete and effective warning messages; (6) Digital encryption and signature capability; and, (7) Facility for digital images, audio and video. The chief benefit of CAP will be 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". Distributing warning messages in a machine-readable format can also facilitate the automatic triggering of events that must be taken when a disaster threatens (e.g. automated water intake and air ventilation closures, water level adjustments, train stoppages, etc The CAP has undergone rigorous technical review within the OASIS standards process and final approval as a standard was received in early 2004". (Partnership for Public Warn., Protecting America's Communities, 2004, pp. 16-17)
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