Post on 26-Mar-2015
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