Understanding Regroup’s IPAWS Alerts

In the past six months, we have seen a surge in extreme weather events and natural disasters ravage the United States, from powerful hurricanes in North Carolina to devastating wildfires in Southern California to the most recent catastrophic floods in Kentucky and West Virginia. These disasters underscore the critical need for fast and effective emergency communication to keep communities safe. 

Regroup’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) feature provides a powerful solution for sending timely emergency communications through multiple unique channels. Regroup helps dispersed populations stay informed in real-time during evacuations, power outages, or road closures, ensuring residents receive vital information and instructions during crises.

Related Article: Winter Weather Preparedness with Mass Notification Systems 

What are IPAWS Alerts?

The IPAWS emergency notification solution is the national alert infrastructure in the United States. It enables federal, state, local, and tribal authorities to send messages that follow Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) standards to ensure clarity and accuracy. Regroup’s IPAWS integration allows public safety officials to send CAP-standard emergency alerts quickly and effectively, from tornado and fire evacuation to Amber Alerts to critical event response in the community.

Related Article: Regroup’s Client Services Team Trains with IPAWS to Serve Clients

How Does IPAWS Work with Regroup?

With Regroup’s IPAWS integration, you can send messages and reach thousands of people in seconds with warnings about serious emergencies using several approved channels that follow IPAWS CAP standards: 

• Emergency Alert System (EAS): Alerts via broadcast television, cable television, AM/FM radio, satellite radio, and more.
• Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA): Messages are sent through cell phone towers, so everyone near a tower will receive the alert.
• Non-Weather Emergency Message (NWEM): Send brief audio messages to NOAA Weather Radio for timely dissemination of critical information.
• Local Infrastructure: Send notifications on high-traffic roadways through digital signs and sirens.
• Mobile Apps: Including those from FEMA, expand your reach to millions of people by displaying IPAWS alerts as push notifications. 
• Collaborative Operating Groups: Transmit alerts to other authorized alerting personnel who have access to the IPAWS system for coordinated emergency notifications.

Related Article: Mobile Apps and Mass Notification 

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How Can I Send Emergency IPAWS Alerts with Regroup?

Sending emergency IPAWS notifications with Regroup is designed to be simple and user-friendly. From the “New Message” drop-down menu, users can quickly select “New IPAWS.” The step-by-step instructions then guide system administrators through an intuitive process, enabling them to select pre-set posting templates, choose geographical location and delivery methods (EAS, WEA, NWEM, COG), specify the duration of the alert, define the alert category, establish time zones, and more.

This streamlined workflow ensures that even if you are onboarding with Regroup for the first time or new to IPAWS alerts, you can effectively disseminate critical emergency information and communicate with confidence.

What are the Benefits of IPAWS for Emergency Notifications?

Those who rely on Regroup’s IPAWS emergency notifications to keep their communities safe know the value of a flexible mass communication platform that provides additional easy-to-use features, including: 

• Guided Alert Creation: Easily manage message building with on-screen help tools, required field indicators, and savable templates for fast and accurate emergency communication.
• Targeted Locations: Deliver alerts to specific areas by drawing the region on a map to coordinate emergency response efforts to larger areas. 
• Functional Preview Feature: Practice with test keys and preview or edit alerts before sending for added peace of mind.

Related Article: Regroup’s IPAWS CAP Standard Alert Origination Software

Enhanced Public Safety with Regroup’s Powerful Features

Regroup helps send messages to scale to meet the needs of diverse urban and rural areas for rapid response times, no matter the location. The City of Lawton and Comanche County in Oklahoma needed efficient, community-wide alerts to streamline emergency notifications and enhance response efforts. 

Regroup helped Lawton and Comanche County meet their communication goals by providing flexible tools, such as IPAWS for emergency alerts, customizable message templates for quick response, and a scalable framework to support future growth and development. Regroup also offered easy setup and channels for targeted messaging, ensuring clear and reliable communication across all geographic areas.

According to Alana Pack, Deputy Director, Comanche County Emergency Management, “Regroup meets our needs and is the easiest system I’ve ever used.” Both entities mentioned Regroup’s training sessions and highlighted the ease of user onboarding compared to prior systems–with emergency personnel feeling assured they can effectively handle live alerts with the help of the IPAWS integration. 

“Coming from other systems, I can confidently say Regroup provides a more flexible and efficient experience and I really appreciate the simplicity that the system brings,” Pack emphasized. 

Regroup’s bolstered emergency notification platform and community-focused alerts adapt to Lawton and Comanche County’s evolving needs and empower local governments to deliver clear, reliable communication across all community levels. 

Related Article: Geofence Messaging and Capabilities 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have questions about any of Regroup’s additional emergency notification features? We’re glad you asked! We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions to help you better understand the other ways Regroup can enhance your emergency communication strategy. Let’s take a look. 

1. How does Regroup manage severe weather alerts? 

Regroup integrates with NOAA to automatically send real-time, location-based alerts across multiple channels, ensuring everyone stays safe and informed during major weather events.

2. Does Regroup utilize resident data?

Regroup enables clients to manage resident data, including contact details, addresses, preferred languages, and more. This data ensures precise and effective communication during emergencies and routine updates.

3. Can residents sign up for emergency alerts?

Yes, Regroup provides easy sign-up tools for residents through online forms, mobile app registrations, and public outreach campaigns, making it simple for them to join your emergency communication system. 

4. Do Regroup’s public alerts integrate with social media platforms? 

Yes, Regroup’s system can integrate with social media platforms to extend the reach of your alerts and share crucial updates quickly.

Related Article: Four Ways to Improve Emergency Preparedness

Get Started with Regroup’s IPAWS Alerting Process

Regroup takes a dynamic approach to emergency communications compared to traditional mass notification tools. Creating a reliable, easy-to-use platform is the foundation for Regroup to handle any routine or emergency alert. 

If you’re ready to explore a better way of communication, discover our collection of case studies, blogs, and free resources to learn more.

For tips on getting started with Regroup’s IPAWS emergency alerts, schedule a customized demo today.

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