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Values for Codified Elements

The following lists the codified elements and their prescribed values.  Unless you are authoring CAP alert messages in a text editor, your authoring tool will provide the available values for the codified elements.

Knowing what each of these values represents is important to assure that the alert targets the proper audience, triggers the appropriate response, provides valuable and appropriate information. Download this list as a reference when authoring alerts or refer to the OASIS document.

Message Status <status>

  • “Actual” - Actionable by all targeted recipients
  • “Exercise” - Actionable only by designated exercise participants; exercise identifier SHOULD appear in <note>
  • “System” - For messages that support alert network internal functions
  • “Test” - Technical testing only, all recipients disregard
  • “Draft” – A preliminary template or draft, not actionable in its current form

Message Type <msgType>

  • “Alert” - Initial information requiring attention by targeted recipients
  • “Update” - Updates and supercedes the earlier message(s) identified in <references>
  • “Cancel” - Cancels the earlier message(s) identified in <references>
  • “Ack” - Acknowledges receipt and acceptance of the message(s) identified in <references>
  • “Error” - Indicates rejection of the message(s) identified in <references>; explanation SHOULD appear in <note>

Scope <scope>

  • “Public” - For general dissemination to unrestricted audiences
  • “Restricted” - For dissemination only to users with a known operational requirement (calls for including <restriction>)
  • “Private” - For dissemination only to specified addresses (calls for including  <addresses>)

Event Category <catagory>

  • “Geo” - Geophysical (including landslides)
  • “Met” - Meteorological (including floods)
  • “Safety” - General emergency and public safety
  • “Security” - Law enforcement, military, homeland and local/private security
  • “Rescue” - Rescue and recovery
  • “Fire” - Fire suppression and rescue
  • “Health” - Medical and public health
  • “Env” - Pollution and other environmental
  • “Transport” - Public and private transportation
  • “Infra” - Utility, telecommunication, other non-transport infrastructure
  • “CBRNE” – Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear or High-Yield Explosive threat or attack
  • “Other” - Other events

Response Type <responseType> - optional element

  • “Shelter” – Take shelter in place or per <instruction>
  • “Evacuate” – Relocate as instructed in the <instruction>
  • “Prepare” – Make preparations per the <instruction>
  • “Execute” – Execute a pre-planned activity identified in <instruction>
  • “Avoid” – Avoid the subject event as per the <instruction>
  • “Monitor” – Attend to information sources as described in <instruction>
  • “Assess” – Evaluate the information in this message.  (This value SHOULD NOT be used in public warning applications.)
  • “AllClear” – The subject event no longer poses a threat or concern and any follow on action is described in <instruction>
  • “None” – No action recommended

Urgency <urgency>

  • “Immediate” - Responsive action should be taken immediately
  • “Expected” - Responsive action should be taken soon (within next hour)
  • “Future” - Responsive action should be taken in the near future
  • “Past” - Responsive action is no longer required
  • “Unknown” - Urgency not known

Severity <severity>

  • “Extreme” - Extraordinary threat to life or property
  • “Severe” - Significant threat to life or property
  • “Moderate” - Possible threat to life or property
  • “Minor” – Minimal to no known threat to life or property
  • “Unknown” - Severity unknown

Certainty <certainty>

  • “Observed” – Determined to have occurred or to be ongoing
  • “Likely” - Probability is greater than or equal to 50%
  • “Possible” - Probability is less than 50%
  • “Unlikely” - Not expected to occur
  • “Unknown” - Certainty unknown
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