Planning an InterOp event on public warning

[Eliot Christian <echristi@usgs.gov>]

Planning is underway for an InterOp event focusing on the application of standards to meet the challenge of public warning (e.g., see http://www.isoc.org/challenge ). To me, the Tonga tsunami warning story just out today (e.g., see http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Tonga_Earthquake_Warning.html ) underscores that public warning requires an all-media approach as well as an all-hazards approach--exactly the point of this InterOp event.

The InterOp event, sponsored jointly by OASIS and ITU, is planned to be October 19-20 in Geneva at the headquarters of the ITU (International Telecommunications Union). We anticipate technology demonstrations in the lobby area (about 200 square meters), and parallel briefings on policy as well as technology aspects in an adjacent auditorium (classroom-style, 100 people). 

If you are likely to participate in this event, May I ask for your input in crafting text that describes the goals and objectives of the meeting? My initial suggested text was: "The goal is to enhance public warning through heightened awareness of interoperable technologies, using standards that bridge disparate communications media and types of threats. The immediate objective is to demonstrate the availability and effectiveness of interoperable technologies already providing all-media, all-hazards public warning in various societies worldwide, using the standard Common Alerting Protocol."

Also, please let me know which other organizations we ought to be contacting to participate.

Thanks, 

Eliot Christian <echristian@usgs.gov>