RCRC CAP Workshop_Introducing Public Awareness Public Education Messages (PAPE)
Presentation to introduce PAPE; presented at the RCRC CAP workshop, Oct. 7, 2021
This presentation introduces the importance of pairing emergency alerts with actionable, clear, and community-trusted guidance through Public Awareness and Public Education (PAPE) key messages. It highlights a common challenge in warning systems: alerts are often disseminated without practical “what to do” instructions, are overly technical, inconsistent, or altered by media outlets—leaving communities unsure how to respond.
The presentation proposes a solution in which National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, working with government partners, adapt and standardize localized safety guidance that can be embedded directly into CAP-enabled alerts. It explains how the adaptation process works, how messages are published via a global portal (the WhatNow Service), and how authorities can distribute CAP alerts that include trusted, context-specific action steps under the National Society’s name and logo. The presentation also links PAPE messaging to the CAP message structure (e.g., “What?”, “Where?”, “How soon?”, “How bad?”, and especially “What to do?”), emphasizing that standardized messaging strengthens consistency, partnership-building, and public understanding of early warning communications.