The FCC’s Disaster Information

Reporting System (DIRS)

July 14, 2009

Today’s speakers

• Larry Walke – Associate General Counsel, NAB

• John Healy – Communications Systems Analysis Division, Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau, FCC

• David Layer – Senior Director, Advanced Engineering, NAB

The Purpose & History of DIRS

DIRS

• Purposes:– To collect and provide information on

status of communications infrastructure during major disasters

– Be a conduit for passing information between communications providers and government agencies

• Properties:– Voluntary– Web-Based

Scope of DIRS• Communications status in a disaster

area• Broadcast – AM, FM, TV stations• Wireline carriers (switches, facilities,

blocking)• 911 Network - PSAPs• Wireless (switches, cell sites by

county)• CATV systems

Process during Katrina(before DIRS)• Daily phone calls to find out radio

and TV station status

• Information manually summarized

• Companies sometimes contacted by several agencies

• No direct way for companies to request assistance

• Labor intensive process

Why Develop DIRS

• Need information on status of communications

• Need daily updates

• Need process to be automated

• Need consistent data

• Need the “right” points-of-contact

• Need a way for companies to ask for assistance, e.g., need a generator

Prior DIRS Activations

• 2008 activations:– Tropical Storm Fay– Hurricane Gustav– Hurricane Ike

• 2009 activations (so far):– Kentucky ice storm

Disaster Data Collection Activated

Companies Access DIRS

Companies Input Data

FCC Generates Tables & Input for Reports

Generate Report, Charts, Maps

NCS Write Formal Report

Send Info to White House/JTRB,

ESF2 Agencies

Disaster Data Collection Activated

FCC Notifies CompaniesFCC Notifies Companies

Company ActivityDone Daily

FCC Activity

NCS Activity

Disaster reporting process

What happens if DIRS is activated?

• E-mail sent to all active contacts in DIRS containing the URL of DIRS

• Users will be given a date and time when the first set of reports is due

• The e-mail will state that updates are due daily

• Public Notice will be issued

Why is DIRS Good for Broadcasters?

DIRS

• Simple process

• Easy to sign-up

• Easy to update during disaster

• Identify station’s needs (fuel, generator, etc.)

DIRS

• Helps federal agencies manage disasters

• FCC, FEMA, other public safety officials can potentially help broadcasters

• Helps coordination with other communications service providers

Signing up for DIRS

Finding DIRS

• https://www.fcc.gov/nors/disaster/ -or-

• Google “FCC DIRS” – should be first suggestion -or-

• Start from www.fcc.gov:– Select “Public Safety & Homeland

Security Bureau”– Select “Disaster Information Reporting

System (DIRS)”

FCC home page

PS&HS Bureauhome page

DIRS home page

DIRS login page

New user page

New user page

Reporting Company – new users can IGNORE this field

New user page

Reporting Company – new users can IGNORE this field

New user page

New Company – new users enter their company name here (best to enter frequency and call sign for an individual station)

New user page

Company ID – Only used for stations that are being coordinated as a group; others just ignore this field.

Type of Company – select “Broadcaster”

New user page

Contact info – enter information for person who will be primarily responsible for DIRS access at station

New user page

Hit SUBMIT when form is completed

Signing up

• Once you SUBMIT new user form, you will immediately see a window assigning you a USERNAME and PASSWORD.

• These can be changed when you login to DIRS

• Contact John Healy for information about managing groups

Using DIRS

Using DIRS

• Only use DIRS when activated (for your area) by FCC

• FCC contacts registered users by email when DIRS is activated (also when deactivated)

Using DIRS

Using DIRS

• When DIRS is activated for your area, provide daily updates

• To do so:– LOGIN– Select “Display/Update Reports”– Select “Disaster” and “Report Type”

(Broadcast) and RETRIEVE– Enter information

DIRS login page

Main menu

Add/Update

Add/Update

Add/UpdateFacility ID – FCC facility identifier

Type of Service – select “Broadcast”

Status – choices are “up,” “down,” “down but programming sent to another transmitter”

Power Status of Transmitter – choices are “on commercial,” “no power,” “on generator,” “on battery,” “unknown”

Add/Update

Generator available – choices are “yes,” ‘no,” “not applicable,” “unknown”

Fuel – choices are “no fuel,” “adequate fuel/adequate delivery,” “inadequate fuel/adequate delivery,” “adequate fuel/ delivery risk,” “inadequate fuel/ delivery risk,” “unknown”

Add/Update

Hit SUBMIT when form is completed

DIRS

• Questions?

Additional Information

• Larry Walke:– Tel 202-429-5313– Email lwalke@nab.org

• John Healy:– Tel 202-418-2448– Email john.healy@fcc.gov

• David Layer:– Tel 202-429-5339– Email dlayer@nab.org