Executive Order 13407: Public Alert and Warning System
President: George W. Bush
Directed a modern public alert and warning system coordinated by Homeland Security.
Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13407 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13407 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.
What does Executive Order 13407 do?
FEMA reported that its Integrated Public Alert and Warning System program office was formed to implement EO 13407.
Before and after
Before the order
Federal alert channels needed common protocols and ways to distribute emergency warnings across media.
After the order
FEMA reported that its Integrated Public Alert and Warning System program office was formed to implement EO 13407.
The order directs federal coordination; actual alert distribution depends on participating authorities and operating systems.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary of Homeland Security | Inventory and assess alert resources; establish or adopt interoperable protocols and standards; enable geographically and personally tailored warnings and access for people with disabilities and people who do not understand English; protect and restore communications with facility owners; ensure training, testing, exercises, and public education; consult public and private partners; administer the Emergency Alert System and ensure presidential warning capability. Coordinate with Commerce, other agencies and officers, and the FCC; may issue guidance. Submit an implementation plan and subsequent reports to the President through the homeland security and counterterrorism assistant. Issue transition guidance after consulting that assistant and ensure transition without capability loss. | Implementation plan within 90 days of June 26, 2006; transition guidance within 120 days; implementation reports at least annually thereafter. |
| Heads of federal agencies | Provide information and assistance requested by Homeland Security. Agencies with warning capabilities must comply with Homeland Security guidance and develop and maintain interoperable capabilities. | When requested; continuing maintenance and compliance for agencies with warning capabilities. |
| Secretary of Commerce | Make Commerce’s standards, technology, telecommunications, dissemination-system, and weather expertise and capabilities available to Homeland Security; provide requested assistance and information. | No fixed deadline specified. |
| Secretary of Defense | Provide Homeland Security requirements needed to coordinate Defense functions with the warning system; provide requested assistance and information. | No fixed deadline specified. |
| Federal Communications Commission | As provided by law, adopt rules ensuring communications systems can transmit public alerts and warnings; coordinate with Homeland Security. | No fixed deadline specified. |
| Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism | Serve as consultation counterpart for Homeland Security’s transition guidance. | Consultation before guidance issued within 120 days of June 26, 2006. |
| Later action | FEMA reported that its Integrated Public Alert and Warning System program office was formed to implement EO 13407. | Fiscal year 2013 |
What happened next
EO 13407 signed.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The order directs federal coordination; actual alert distribution depends on participating authorities and operating systems.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- GovInfo — official executive-order record (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 26, 2026. How we research →