[40 Test Answers] FEMA IS-247B: IPAWS for Alert Originators

Here are the FEMA test answers to IS-247: Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) for Alert Originators.

Overview: The FEMA IS-247.B course was published on 4/20/2020 to provide authorized public safety officials with increased awareness of the benefits of using the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) for effective alerts and warnings; skills to draft more appropriate, effective, and accessible alert and warning messages; the importance of training, testing, and exercising with IPAWS; and best practices in the effective use of IPAWS to reach members of the public.

Primary audience: The IS-247.B course is for emergency managers, law enforcement officials, fire department personnel, dispatch personnel (911), National Weather Service (NWS) personnel, and other authorized centers (according to a State’s EAS plan, State emergency plan, Amber Plan/Amber Alert).

FEMA IS-247.B test answers

Each time this test is loaded, you will receive a unique set of questions and answers. The test questions are scrambled to protect the integrity of the exam.

Question 1. IPAWS is _______ mass notification systems in that _______. 
A. the same as; they both require citizens to opt-in to receive local public safety information
B. different from; it is subscription-based and requires citizens to opt-in
C. like; they are both subscription-based and maintained by public safety officials
D. unlike; it uses broadcast technology to distribute alerts✅

Question 2. Which of the following is true about IPAWS and mass notification systems?
A. They are similar in that they both provide true location-based alerting by sending alerts to all phones in a cell coverage – not to a database of phone numbers.
B. They differ in that mass notification systems do not require sign-up or registration whereas IPAWS does.
C. They are similar in that they both require opt-in and only send alerts to phone numbers on a database maintained by public safety officials.✅
D. They differ in that IPAWS provides true location-based alerting by sending alerts to all phones in a cell coverage whereas mass notification systems do not.

Question 3. What authenticates the sender of a message prior to dissemination through multiple communication pathways? 
A. Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)
B. Internet-Based Services
C. IPAWS Open Platform for Emergency Networks (OPEN)✅
D. Alert Originator and Alerting Administrator

Question 4. An effective warning message __________.
A. includes sufficient information to validate the public’s risk and spur them to take appropriate action✅
B. follows the ‘less is more principle
C. should account for the general panic usually experienced in response to warnings
D. is accompanied by varied siren signals since people will usually understand what the sounds indicate

Question 5. You realize you have sent an erroneous message to the public. You cancel the message. What is your next step? 
A. You now confirm that the public was automatically notified of your cancellation prior to sending a new message.
B. You notify your team of the erroneous message. Then, confirm that a cancellation went out to the public automatically.
C. You can rest assured that the public was notified of the cancellation. Now you need to monitor the situation for changes.
D. You follow up with a new message to communicate any updates or corrections to your previously canceled message.✅

Question 6. The Collaborative Operating Group (COG) application process requires which of the following to be done? 
A. The Customer Support Branch prepares a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for signature and returns it to the sponsoring organization with COG Identification (ID) number.
B. A Collaborative Operating Group (COG) member sends an email to IPAWS with the subject line “COG Application.”
C. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is executed between the sponsoring organization and Alerting Authority.✅
D. The Collaborative Operating Group (COG) provides proof that a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has been executed between the sponsoring organization and a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) compatible software vendor.

Question 7. The population impacted by hazards is incredibly diverse in numerous ways. Thus, an alert and warning system needs to do which of the following? 
A. Integrate interpreters into the message-originating process for more effective messaging.
B. Translate messages into multiple languages including, but not limited to American Sign Language (ASL).
C. Support this diversity and communicate to each impacted subpopulation effectively.✅
D. Interpret messages in multiple languages including, but not limited to American Sign Language (ASL).

Question 8. What is a distinct benefit of accessing the IPAWS Training and Demonstration Environment (also referred to as the IPAWS TSSF Environment) via the Web Viewer? 
A. Build templates based on hazards
B. Gain virtual hands-on experience
C. You have access to IPAWS TSSF equipment in order to demonstrate alert origination and dissemination
D. The IPAWS Message Viewer is available 24/7 thus, there is no need to schedule time with IPAWS TSSF personnel✅

Question 9. The following list is comprised of __________: Emergency Alert System (EAS), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), Internet Services, and Emerging Technologies. 
A. alert aggregators
B. Common Alert Protocol (CAP) compliant software vendors✅
C. alert dissemination pathways
D. alert filters

Question 10. Which means of access to the IPAWS Technical Support Services Facility (TSSF) allows for the following: (1) participate in a webinar with IPAWS TSSF personnel; (2) virtual hands-on; (3) attendee shares screen; (4) verify connectivity to the IPAWS TSSF Environment; (5) practice and train according to your IPAWS Plan; (6) build templates based on hazards; (7) practice sending WEA with 90-360 characters; and (8) IPAWS TSSF equipment included to demonstrate alert origination and dissemination. 
A. IPAWS TSSF hands-on training
B. Virtual IPAWS TSSF use and IPAWS TSSF Web viewer
C. IPAWS TSSF Web viewer (IPAWS Message viewer)✅
D. Virtual IPAWS TSSF use

Question 11. An effective message must clearly address which of the following: 
A. Source, guidance/time, expiration time, tribal emergency plan, and state emergency plan.
B. Source, threat, location, guidance/time, and expiration time.
C. Source, threat, guidance/time, local knowledge, and local emergency plan.
D. Location, expiration time, local knowledge, state emergency plan, and tribal emergency plan.✅

Question 12. Which of the following is a national public warning system commonly used by state, local, tribal, and territorial authorities to deliver important emergency information, such as weather and AMBER alerts, to affected communities over broadcast radio and television? 
A. Internet Services
B. Emergency Alert System (EAS)✅
C. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)
D. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Question 13. What must Alerting Authorities consider when choosing the best pathway to reach the affected public during an emergency event? 
A. The cost of utilizing each pathway.
B. Whether or not the pathway can accommodate Common Alerting Protocol (CAP).
C. The pathway’s jurisdictional parameters.
D. Which pathway is best to reach the desired subset of the affected public.✅

Question 14. What are three important factors to keep in mind when initiating a message? 
A. Understand the situation and the call to action; follow the established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); and create alerts based on your designated permissions.✅
B. Understand the situation and the call to action; follow the national Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); and create alerts based on your local laws.
C. Understand the situation and the call to action; follow the established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); and create alerts based on your state laws.
D. Understand the situation and the call to action; follow the established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); and create alerts based on previously used, successful alerts.

Question 15. Which means of access to the IPAWS Technical Support Services Facility (TSSF) allows for the following: (1) user-friendly webpage that verifies alert dissemination sent to the IPAWS Lab; (2) permits users to view alert status and error codes; (3) permits users to troubleshoot if necessary; and (4) alerts are available for review for 24 hours. 
A. IPAWS TSSF hands-on training
B. Virtual IPAWS TSSF use and IPAWS TSSF Web viewer
C. IPAWS TSSF Web viewer (IPAWS Message viewer)✅
D. Virtual IPAWS TSSF use

Question 16. I am an eligible IPAWS user who sends alerts to the public. I can operate on the federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial levels. What is my formal title? 
A. Alert Originator
B. Alerting Administrator
C. Alerting Authority✅
D. Emergency Manage

Question 17. __________ is/are a useful means of providing additional details that will help the public take action and better respond to a changing threat. 
A. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)
B. Emergency Alert Systems (EAS)
C. Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)
D. Follow-up alerts✅

Question 18. When crafting an alert message, which of the following considerations will help reduce public confusion? 
A. Sharing a variety of perspectives in each message. It helps clarify the meaning behind the alert message.
B. Minimizing message content to that which is necessary. Clear and accurate is best.✅
C. Using extensive vocabulary and technical terms. Your goal is to educate the public.
D. Being as broad in scope as possible. Don’t be overly specific.

Question 19. As the alert originator, you will select data elements to describe the emergency event in Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) compliant alert authoring software. These data elements differ slightly between systems. Which answer choice contains examples of data elements typically used to describe emergencies? 
A. Severity, Validity, and Urgency
B. Validity, Frequency, and Urgency
C. Severity, Certainty, and Surety
D. Urgency, Severity, and Certainty✅

Question 20. State, local, and tribal alerting authorities who send alerts to the public through IPAWS, must do which of the following? 
A. Send alerts as they see fit since they automatically have extensive, designated permissions upon approval of their application.
B. Obtain permission from the alerting authority on a case-by-case basis depending upon the nature of the event, jurisdiction, and other factors.
C. Only send alerts for which they have permissions designated by state, tribal, or appropriate officials followed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).✅
D. Determine which event codes are appropriate and send the alert to their jurisdiction and any neighboring jurisdictions.

Question 21. Alerts can be geo-targeted to areas smaller than a county. Geo-targeting is based on which of the following? 
A. The alerting tool capability only.✅
B. Cell tower locations, alerting tool capability, and inclusion of a cell tower.
C. Radio and TV Broadcast and the alerting tool capability, wireless device capability.
D. Cell tower locations and inclusion of a cell tower.

Question 22. A flood has occurred and several highways are closed. The affected community includes a high percentage of Spanish-speaking residents. What is the best way to issue warnings in this situation? 
A. Issue warnings in Spanish only.
B. Allow IPAWS to translate the message into the appropriate language for the recipient.
C. Issue warnings in Spanish as well as in English.✅
D. Call upon the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) interpreters to stand by for help once you have issued the warning.

Question 23. You have just sent an emergency alert but accidentally included an incorrect geographic area that should not have been included because the emergency event will not impact said area. What should you do? 
A. As the alert originator, you should follow your agency’s policy for canceling and updating messages.
B. As the alert originator, you should follow your agency’s policy for canceling a message and then send an “all clear” to all affected jurisdictions.✅
C. As the alert originator, you should talk it through with your co-worker and then send a follow-up message when time permits.
D. As the alert originator, you should include an apology in a subsequent message to correct the error.

Question 24. Which of the following lists reflects the purpose and some of the benefits of working in the IPAWS Training and Demonstration Environment (also referred to as the IPAWS TSSF Environment)? 
A. Demonstrations; functional assessments; large-scale to small-scale table-top exercise support; independent alert validation tool (IPAWS Message Viewer); an interactive and a closed IPAWS environment used for testing and training.
B. The ability to send IPAWS practice messages to the public; functional assessments; large-scale to small-scale table-top exercise support; independent alert validation tool (IPAWS Message Viewer); and the ability to cancel erroneous messages sent through the IPAWS live environment.
C. The ability to send IPAWS practice messages to the public; functional assessments; large-scale to small-scale table-top exercise support; independent alert validation tool (IPAWS Message Viewer); and demonstrations.
D. The ability to practice translating messages into multiple languages via the IPAWS system; functional assessments; large-scale to small-scale table-top exercise support; and independent alert validation tool (IPAWS Message Viewer).✅

Question 25. Which stakeholders are a valuable resource helping Alerting Authorities to stay apprised of which codes are automatically forwarded and which are not according to their Emergency Alert System (EAS) plan? 
A. Public sector companies
B. Broadcasters and Cable Operators✅
C. Cross-jurisdictional Alerting Operators
D. Wireless providers

Question 26. A decision-maker must consider which of the following criteria BEFORE deciding to issue a public warning? 
A. Have state, local, or tribal emergency plans been reviewed?
B. Which event code is most appropriate for the situation at hand?
C. Have state, local, or tribal Emergency Alert Systems (EAS) been reviewed?
D. Does the hazardous situation pose a serious threat to life or property?✅

Question 27. The Alert Originator utilizes IPAWS in accordance with my plans, policies, and procedures to create and send out emergency messages. Who am I? 
A. An Alerting Authority
B. An Alert Originator✅
C. An Alerting Administrator
D. An Alert Originator and Administrator

Question 28. As an Alert Originator, I want to send an alert to mobile devices. Which alerting communication pathway would I use? 
A. Emergency Alert System (EAS)
B. Internet Services
C. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)✅
D. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Question 29. In my role, I determine the utilization of IPAWS and define its use through plans, policies, and procedures. Who am I? 
A. An Alert Originator✅
B. An Alerting Administrator
C. An Alerting Authority
D. An Alert Originator and Administrator

Question 30. As the alert originator, when sending an emergency alert, all of the following apply except __________.
A. Alerts must stay within the geographic warning area in your jurisdiction
B. Alerts must be sent via all pathways to reach as much of the public as possible✅
C. Alerts must use the appropriate dissemination pathways
D. You must use the event codes for which your alerting authority has been approved

Question 31. Which is true of the process for obtaining an IPAWS Training and Demonstration Environment (also referred to as the IPAWS TSSF Environment) certificate? 
A. It is awarded to all who sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and become a part of a Collaborative Operating Group (COG)
B. One can obtain it only after using the IPAWS Training and Demonstration Environment (IPAWS TSSF Environment) for the number of hours designated in the state, local or tribal plans, policies and procedures
C. It is required to use the IPAWS Training and Demonstration Environment (IPAWS TSSF Environment)✅
D. It is issued to acknowledge successful use of the IPAWS Training and Demonstration Environment

Question 32. Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) __________. 
A. selects data elements and describes events in IPAWS-compliant authoring software.
B. evaluates the following data: response rates, subscriber opt-in rates, and vendor fee comparisons.
C. provides the capability to include: photographs, maps, and streaming video.✅
D. targets the specific geographic area of an emergency.

Question 33. To increase effectiveness, an alert message must be __________. 
A. translated by IPAWS into the primary language of the affected community
B. sent across the fewest platforms possible
C. consistent across all platforms✅
D. sent across the one platform that will reach 100 percent of the population

Question 34. A mass notification system is a __________ service maintained by public safety officials to distribute alerts. IPAWS is a __________ service and utilizes broadcast to distribute alerts. 
A. Non-subscription based; Subscription-based
B. Subscription-based; Subscription-based
C. Subscription-based; Non-subscription based✅
D. Non-subscription based; Non-subscription based

Question 35. A Collaborative Operating Group (COG) has the authority to send alerts to the public through IPAWS only after _______. 
A. an application has been submitted and Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) compatible origination software has been purchased
B. an agreement to exchange alerting information with other COGs has been executed✅
C. a fully executed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is issued and approval steps are completed at the state and/or tribal level
D. the IPAWS Program Management Office (PMO) has approved a successfully executed application

Question 36. Once you have completed the online Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) training course, what is your next step? 
A. You will be ready to send IPAWS messages.
B. You will receive your IPAWS Training and Demonstration Certificate and you will send it to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Headquarters for signatures.
C. You will receive your IPAWS Training and Demonstration Certificate and either you or your vendor will upload it to the origination software.✅
D. Your vendor will clear you to send IPAWS messages.

Question 37. Which stakeholder offers additional dissemination channels that contribute to the alerting ecosystem to share as much information with the public as possible so that they can actively respond to hazards and threats? 
A. Wireless providers
B. Cross-jurisdictional Alerting Operators
C. Private sector companies✅
D. Broadcasters and Cable Operators

Question 38. IPAWS was created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to _______. 
A. combine existing alerting systems in the U.S. under one platform
B. provide resources during natural disasters, terrorist attacks, situations of war, or other hazards to public safety✅
C. help the public cope with major emergencies
D. centralize the duties of warning the public to one location and a single level of government via a singular network of government-owned communication system

Question 39. As an Alert Originator, which of the following communication pathways can I use to deliver a message through IPAWS? 
A. Emergency Alert System (EAS), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), Internet Services, and the Weather Channel.✅
B. Emergency Alert System (EAS), the Disaster Warning System (DWS), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Internet Services.
C. Emergency Alert System (EAS), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), Internet Services, and Emerging Technologies.
D. Emergency Alert System (EAS), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), National Emergency Network (NEN), Non-weather Emergency Messages (NWEM), and Internet Services.

Question 40. The IPAWS Training and Demonstration Environment provides access to _______. 
A. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)✅
B. webinars, training, and technical demonstrations
C. IPAWS Open Platform for Emergency Networks (OPEN)
D. live messaging and translation services