Introduction to Operationalizing the Common Alerting Protocol (ITU-T X.1303) Standard

Nuwan WaidyanathaITU Consultant / Senior Research Fellow

Email: nuwan [at] lirneasia [dot] net

http://www.lirneasia.net/profiles/nuwan-waidyanathaMobile: +8613888446352 (cn) +94773710394 (lk)

4th Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Workshop on Disaster Management/Communications

2013 July 24

SMX Convention Center, Manila, Philippines

□ Why do we need CAP

□ What is CAP?

□ How do we use it?■ CAP-Profile■ Register of Alerting

Authorities■ Multi agency situational

awareness

□ Automation

□ Pilots

□ Users

□ Conclusion□ Resources

Outline

□How do we manage the subscribers and publishers?

□How do we deliver early warnings in local language?

□How do we use available technologies?

□How do we disseminate alerts over multiple channels?

□How do we interoperate with incompatible systems?

□How do we effectively communicate the optimal content?

□How do we address the communication strategy?

□How do we accommodate upstream-downstream alerting?

Problem to solve in alerting/warning systems

ANSWER: CAP for all-hazards all-media and multi-agency alerting and situational awareness

Managed by the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS)

Recommended by the International Telecommunications Union Standardization Sector (ITU-T) – to align with ASN1 (Abstract Syntax Notation One) ISO standards notation

Complies with the US National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) six principles of alerting, designed for :

• Coordination (avoid duplication)• Consistency (believable)• Channels (Multiple)• Completeness (unabiguity)• Coverage (Geo-targetting)• Control (security)

Common Alerting Protocol - CAP

□ XML Schema and Document Object Model

□ Interoperable Emergency Communication Standard

□ Specifically geared for Communicating Complete Alerts

□ Capability for Digital encryption and signature X.509

□ It's for “all-hazards all-media” communication

□ Recommended by ITU-T X.1303

□ Incubated by W3C Emergency Information Interoperability Framework

□ Can be used as a guide for structuring alerts

□ Used by USGS, WMO, Govs of AUS, CAN, USA, EU...

eXtensible Markup Language (XML)

What is XML?Markup language like HTMLDesigned to carry and store dataSelf descriptive

W3C recommendation – (http://www.w3schools.com/w3c/w3c_xml.asp)

Why Use XML?Interoperable: xml data can be shared between incompatible systemsWell Formed: adheres to correct syntaxValidation: structure: Document Type Definition or XML SchemasAccessibility: Document Object Model defines the text & attributes

Header

Opening tag

Closing tag

Target Name Space(Association)

CAP Document Object ModelidentifiersenderSentStatusmsgTypeSourceScopeRestrictionAddressCode (handling code)NoteReferences (Ref ID)Incidents (Incident ID)

LanguageCategoryEvent*responseTypeUrgencySeverityCertaintyAudienceeventCode*Effective (datetime)Onset (datetime)Expires (datetime)senderNameHeadlineDescriptionInstructionWeb (InformationURL)Contact (contact details)Parameter*

resourceDescmimeTypeSizeURIderefURIdigest

areaDescPolygon*Circle*Geocode*AltitudeCeiling

*

<ALERT>

<INFO>

<RESOURCE>

<AREA>

*

*

□<Alert> block is the “envelop”■ Identifies the message no.,

sender, message type, scope of audience, time sent

■ Contains one or more <info> blocks

□<Info> carries details of the audience, area, or time frame:

■ who, what, where, so what?■ Multiple <info> blocks for each

language■ The <category> is for recipients to

filter messages■ <Urgency>, <Severity>, &

<certainty> define the message priority

■ <Effective. and <expiration> date■ Hazard <event> details and public

<instructions>■ <Contact> info■ Additional technical <parameters>

□<Area> specific geographic target area for particular <info> block□<Resource> additional information

■ include text, audio, or photos, maps, video files

1

1

1

Purpose of the multiple <INFO> and <AREA>

Cyclone NILAM-122012 October 31

NILAM-12LK Met Dept

02:00 UTCAlert

'si'ඉහළ

කාලගුණ

'ta'உயர்

வானிைல

'en'HIGHMET

North

வடக்கு

උතුර

<AREA>

<INFO>02:00 UTC

ඊශාන

வடகிழக்கு

Northeast

NILAM-12LK Met Dept

12:00 UTCUpdate

'si'ඉහළ

කාලගුණ

'ta'உயர்

வானிைல

'en'HIGHMET

North

வடக்கு

උතුර

<INFO>12:00 UTC

<Alert>qualifiers

CAP Country Profile, the steps

Audience

Geography

Language

Technology

(1) EventsWhat type of incidents will you address? (e.g. geological, meteorological, … )

Pub-Sub

Events

(2) Audience <Scope>Alert First Responders only (i.e. closed user group)Example: police, health workers, civil society, public servantsAlert Public (entire population)Combination of First Responders and Publicstep 1: alert First-Responders to give them time to prepare Step 2: warn public

(4) National <Languages>English only or Chinese only or Malay onlyEnglish, Hindi, Chinese, and Malay which jurisdictions?

(3) Geographical Descriptions <Area>Country wideProvince or StateDistrictOther – Geocodes or GPS polygons

(5) Communications Technology?Mobile phones – SMS, CB, Email, AppletTV – Text, Audio, VisualAM/FM Radio - Text, AudioVHF/UHF Radio - AudioInternet – HTTP, Email, Webserviceshich jurisdictions?

(6) Publisher Subscriber Rules (OIDs and EDXL-DE)Who can publish what alerts in which jurisdictions?Who can subscribe to what alerts in which jurisdictions?

Who?What?Where?When?

Managing your publishers (alerting authorities)

Use the Joint International Telecommunications Union and International Standards Organization established Object Identifier Codes

http://www.statoids.com/ulk.html

Sri Lanka(144)

Met(144.0.0)

DMC(144.0)

GMB(144.0.1)

Health(144.0.2)

Irrigation(144.0.3)

Fisheries(144.0.4)

CO-RE(144.0.2.1)

RN-RE(144.0.2.0)

KG-RE(144.0.2.2)

WAR-MOH(144.0.2.2.1)

KUL-MOH(144.0.2.2.2)

Message(144.1)

Inter and Intra jurisdictional Alerting1) Transportation authority subscribe to

hydrological, meteorological, and geological event category alerts.

2) Irrigation department issues a flash flood warning for Kirinda area, with regular updates of the flood inundation trajectories

3) Transportation authority monitors the alert updates and forewarns the depots in the inundation area.

4) Each bus depot and train station activates their emergency response plans to secure their assets

5) Wildlife authority may advise rangers to be observant of wildlife movements on to railways, roads, and farmlands, and residential areas

WMO Register of Alerting Authorities□ It is a way to uniquely identify national and

international alerting authorities

□ Messages originating from those authorities can be uniquely identified

□ Typically used in the CAP <identifier>

□ OID Repository Tree: http://www.oid-info.com/cgi-bin/display?oid=2.49.0

□ List of organizations already registered with WMO: http://www-db.wmo.int/alerting/authorities.html

□ For example:

□Administrative procedure for registering an alerting authority: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/amp/pwsp/documents/AIR_PWS-20.pdf

Prioritizing Messages in CAP

Priority <urgency> <severity> <certainty>

Urgent Immediate Extreme Observed

High Expected Severe Observed

Low Expected Moderate Observed

Rainstorm Warning Rainstorm Warning Signals Signals

(colour-coded)(colour-coded)

Tropical Cyclone Tropical Cyclone Warning Signals Warning Signals (number-coded)(number-coded)

STEP 1: select template and create message (or reuse message)

STEP 2: select recipients, delivery channels, and view outputs

CAP (XML) → uses XSL to transform→ delivery method

Automated Standard Message

“A <event> alert has been issued for <areaDesc> by <senderName>. Persons in this area are encouraged to <responseType>, and <instruction>. This event is rated as <severity>, and is <certainty>. Responsive action should be taken <urgency> . For more information about this event, visit <URI> or call <contact>.”

Example of Automated Standard Message

“A Flood alert has been issued for North Western Province by Department of Irrigation and Water Resources. Persons in this area are encouraged to prepare, and stay away from demarcated flood zones. This event is rated as moderate, and is likely. Responsive action should be taken in future. For more information about this event, visit http://www.ndmc.gov.lk/ or call 2395521.”

SAMBRO Screen – SMS & Email

SABRO Screen Shots

SAMBRO Screen Shots

SHOW VIDEO

The Feedback Control using Social Media

Warning/AlertingBroker

SMS

Email

Self correcting feedback control

A few field tested pilots

CAP and Wireless technologies to bridge the last-mile

CAP over the HF spectrum data platform

CAP in Biosurveillance for alerting public health officials

CAP-enabled Interactive Voice Alerting

Next Goal – CAP-enabled Pictograph Alerts

CAP-CAN (CANADA)

Alert Message Supplemental Info

Headline Wave Height

SMS Text Wave Arrival \time

TVCrawler Arrival direction

Alert Message Supplemental Info

Headline Wave Height

SMS text Wave Arrival Time

TVcrawler Arrival Direction

1:02pm

From 280 degrees N

15 meters

The info block with Vancouver could have:

Audience Message 1: “Tsunami

warning in effect”

Audience Message 2: “Tsunami

warning in effect”

Tsunami warning in effect

WARNING: Tsunami approaching

Tsunami warning

The info block with Victoria could have:

1:05pm

From 350 degrees N

15 metersTsunami warning in effect

WARNING: Tsunami approaching

Tsunami Warning

China CAP-enabled Early Warning

27

Railway FinancialCivil

affairs … …… …

State

31Province

342Prefecture

2379County

Land Earthquake Water Heath

Firefighting Meteorological TrafficDiploma

tic“Horizontal”Inf. Sharing

“Vertical”

A variety of means to outdoors

1122

33

Management platformManagement platform

Collection

Collection

WebsiteWebsiteFeedback evaluation

systemFeedback evaluation

system

SMS release system

SMS release systemProcessProcess Transm

issionTransmission

StoreStore ControlControl

National Emergency Early Warning Alerting System

中国气象局 中国气象局 China Meteorological Administration

US Public Alerting and Warning System

28

Pinkerton

Pinkerton’s Global Risk Group (GRG) is a specialty division with an international charter to provide security intelligence services directly to select Pinkerton clients and support regional offices by augmenting traditional lines.

ValueClick – Alerting through Advertising

u

Google Public Alerts (google.org/publicalerts)

http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/ISS/Meetings/WIS-CAP_Geneva2011/Google.pdf

Conclusion

CAP is a consistent, complete, multi lingual, and interoperable global emergency communication protocol

CAP offers standard guidelines for developing an inventory of emergency information templates and messages

CAP should be adopted by states and organizations for their public and closed-user-group exchange of emergency information

States or organization must first develop a CAP Profile in consultation with all involved stakeholders; as a first step – register alerting authorities

Profile should consider the target – audience (<scope>), jurisdictions <area>, <Language>, Technologies, and Country specific Publisher/Subscriber rules

Alerting agencies should adopt a “CAP Broker” for constructing and issuing CAP messages via “tested” technologies

Recommendation to Disaster Communications Technology Manufacturers – Make your equipment CAP compliant

Resources

1) Video “Introduction to CAP”, Eliot Christian (WMO): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0iKp60jjtY

2) Instructions for translating the video to local language: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/ISS/Meetings/WIS-CAP_Geneva2011/video.zip

3) Video on the use of CAP in real-time biosurveillance pilot, Nuwan Waidyanatha (LIRNEasia): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7WOq5giddI

4) CAP implementers workshop, WMO, Geneva, April 2011: http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/www/ISS/Meetings/WIS-CAP_Geneva2011/DocPlan.html

5) CAP Cookbook (wiki): http://www.incident.com/cookbook/index.php/Welcome_to_the_CAP_Cookbook

6) ITU-T recommendation X.1303: http://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-X.1303/en

7) TD No. 1556, Administrative Procedure for Registering WMO Alerting Identifiers (PWS-20): http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/amp/pwsp/documents/AIR_PWS-20.pdf

8) OASIS EDXL suite of standards (including CAP): http://www.oasis-open.org/standards#edxl