RCRC CAP workshop_Introducing the Common Alerting Protocol Slides
Presentation to introduce the Common Alerting Protocol; presented at the RCRC CAP workshop, Oct. 7, 2021
This presentation provides an accessible introduction to the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) for Red Cross and Red Crescent actors, explaining why CAP is an essential standard for modern, people-centred early warning. It begins by outlining the “key facts” every alert message should communicate (e.g., what is happening, where, when, severity, certainty, and what actions to take) and describes the global “patchwork” challenge—where different hazards and agencies often rely on separate systems and dissemination channels.
The presentation then defines CAP as an international, all-hazards, all-media digital standard for exchanging emergency alerts, enabling one consistent message to be shared through multiple communication pathways at once. It highlights core benefits such as faster alert issuance, stronger interoperability and shared situational awareness, more precise geographic targeting (including polygons/circles), and improved inclusion through customization, translation, and multi-channel dissemination. The presentation also provides a practical overview of CAP message components (including urgency, severity, and certainty codes) and illustrates how CAP supports dissemination through traditional media (radio/TV/sirens), mobile alerts (SMS, WhatsApp, apps), and online platforms (including public alert services and social media).