A Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) alert was sent out to the entire county instead of being restricted to a specific polygon as intended.

Root Cause

The issue was caused by the selection of the Exclude option for the polygon in the notification settings. When a polygon is marked as Exclude, it is ignored when the message is passed to FEMA.

WEA messages in Everbridge can use two geographic targeting methods: FIPS codes and polygons. FIPS codes define broader geographic areas (such as counties), while polygons allow for more precise area targeting within those FIPS code boundaries. If no polygon is properly configured or if the polygon is set to Exclude, the system will default to using the entire FIPS code area for the alert, resulting in a wider distribution than intended.

Solution

1. Identify the Issue: Confirm that the polygon was marked as Exclude in the notification settings.

   • The polygon will appear in purple if it is set to Exclude.

   • The polygon should be in orange if it is set to Include.

2. Confirm which polygon was used:

   • Compare the polygon attached to the risk event or notification to any shapes manually drawn in your account.

   • If the polygon used to evaluate assets or locations matches the polygon for the event, then the risk event polygon is being used as intended.

   • If you see a larger or differently shaped polygon on the map, determine whether it is a user-created area filter and adjust or remove it if necessary.

3. Correct the Polygon Settings:

   • Go to the Selected Shapes section in the notification settings.

   • Select the shape you drew for the polygon.

   • Ensure the Exclude switch is not activated (the polygon should be set to Include so it is honored when sent to FEMA).

4. Resend the Notification: Create a new notification with the correct polygon settings and send it through the IPAWS system.

5. Verify with FEMA: Contact FEMA to confirm that the polygon was included in the message.