Internet emergency preparedness in the IETF

The Internet Emergency Preparedness (ieprep) working group of the IETF is addressing requirements for emergency systems for the Internet and other IP-based networks. The charter of the ieprep group is to produce requirements document(s) that detail specific functions and technologies needed to provide support for emergency preparedness systems in the Internet. These requirements will be published as RFCs, the IETF publication series. These include telephony specific requirements as well as other applications running over the Internet. Existing emergency preparedness systems are based upon circuit-switched network technology and preserving that functionality when these networks are interworked with IP-based networks is a chief concern. In addition, IP networks may offer preferential treatment to emergency communications if augmented with the appropriate mechanisms. The ieprep working group defines requirements that will be fulfilled by the appropriate working groups within the IETF.