We check in on the FEMA website every month to see how the list of Alerting Authorities (the folks who can send IPAWS messages) is growing. The most recent listing (dated 2/20) shows a big increase.
There are now 457 AA’s and AA applicants listed by FEMA – an increase of 42 since the last time we checked. We count 304 counties, 47 states, 81 municipalities and 6 universities. There are also some regional authorities that cover parts of CA, TX and WA and a handful of military installations.
Only three states – KS, MT and SD are not listed, although several counties and cities in those states are included.
Whether this represents a tipping point for IPAWS is not clear. We’re plowing through several reports on the acceptance of IPAWS – and especially, wireless emergency alerts (WEAs) – and it’s clear that there are still many concerns about the use of IPAWS for sending emergency alerts. But since WEAs are one of the few ways to reach wireless-only households, we’re glad to see the growth.
