# Overview

This Public Alerts developer site provides best practices for the creation of a
[Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)](http://docs.oasis-open.org/emergency/cap/v1.2/CAP-v1.2-os.html)

feed. The CAP format is a non-proprietary, industry standard specification that
transmits emergency warning alerts. This site also highlights the following:

- The data that Google needs from the alert to display it on Google properties.
- How to prepare the data to share with Google.
- The overall integration process.

## Who can publish Google Public Alerts

Only these Partners can publish a Google Public Alert:

- A public safety agency or public alerts provider who has information that
  affects people's lives and property.

- Either the original and authoritative author of the alert information or a
  Partner who has rights from the original author to aggregate or distribute that
  information.

We recommend that all meteorological agencies register with the
[WMO Register of Alerting Authorities](https://alertingauthority.wmo.int/).

In the US, we also prefer that our Partners are certified
[IPAWS Public Alerting Authorities](https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/integrated-public-alert-warning-system/public-safety-officials/alerting-authorities/agencies-organizations).