GAO Testimony Blasts IPAWS Program for Lack of Movement & Results

In testimony today, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) was highly critical of FEMA's handling of the IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert & Warning System) program to date. Testifying before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, Mark Goldstein of the GAO said of the Emergency Alert System, "EAS is an important alert tool but it exhibits longstanding weaknesses that limit its effectiveness...EAS does not fulfill the need for a reliable, comprehensive alert system."

Specifically, the GAO criticized the program for:
-a lack of redundancy
-gaps in coverage
-a lack of testing and training
-limitations in how alerts are disseminated to the public
-little capability to alert specific geographic areas
-no movement in adoption of new technologies.

Further, FEMA's pilot programs provided little information of value for assessing outcomes and evaluating lessons learned. Transparency and accountability are lacking. And, despite the critical need for collaboration and input from private industry and practitioners, many stakeholders such as state EMAs and telecom vendors know little of the program based on interviews conducted by the GAO.

IMPLICATIONS

In viewing the House testimony today, there appeared to exist both deep frustration and sincere commitment to move the IPAWS program off the dime. Subcommittee Chairwoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and ranking member Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), who are sponsoring IPAWS-related HR 2591 pushed for answers on how and why the program is stalled.

On the hot seat was Damon Penn, FEMA's new Assistant Administrator for National Continuity Programs. Mr. Penn, a former Army colonel, recently accepted his new post, and will be responsible for driving the program forward. Mr. Penn appears to have a reputation for getting things done, so we anticipate movement.

Mr. Penn cited recent success in awarding a contract to establish a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) test facility at Eastern Kentucky University. He also said he expected CAP protocols to be approved within the next two weeks. He said a statewide test is expected in January 2010 in Alaska, and hopes to have a new, fully operational EAS system by the end of FY 2012.

We believe this time frame is aggressive given the ground that needs to be covered, but we certainly applaud the renewed commitment to move on this important national initiative. Stay tuned for more on this one.

All the best,

-Lorin