DA 23-414
									Released: May 16, 2023
PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU ANNOUNCES PRE-HURRICANE SEASON REFRESHER FOR FILERS IN THE DISASTER INFORMATION REPORTING SYSTEM (DIRS) ON JUNE 6-7, 2023

	In preparation for the 2023 hurricane season, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) will conduct its annual Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) refresher for DIRS filers on June 6 and 7, 2023.  During times of crisis, such as hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes, the FCC may activate DIRS.  Communications providers can use DIRS to quickly and efficiently report the operational status of their service and infrastructure to the FCC, as well as to request assistance.  The planned refresher will help ensure that communications providers, including broadcast, cable, satellite, wireless, and wireline providers, can access and file in the DIRS system; train new employees to become familiar with the DIRS reporting process; and update DIRS contact information.  

Service providers that have not previously participated in DIRS reporting are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to register for DIRS and become familiar with the system.  Providers can create an account at the following link: https://www.fcc.gov/nors/disaster/. 

The refresher will include a simulated event, commencing with the Bureau sending a mock activation letter on June 5 to all registered DIRS participants.   The mock activation letter will provide a list of pre-selected counties that form the disaster area for this practice event.  Providers will be asked to report data on any of their communications assets (e.g., broadcast, cable, satellite, wireless, and wireline) in the affected area.  As this is only a simulated event, the Bureau does not expect to receive actual counts of outages.  If a provider does not have any communications assets in the affected counties, it can still participate by reporting notional data for the pre-selected counties.  

We ask that event participants provide their initial data sets by 10:00 a.m. EDT on June 6 with an updated report filed by June 7 at 10:00 a.m. EDT.  The Bureau will send a deactivation letter by 3:00 p.m. EDT on June 7 notifying participants that the simulated event has been completed.  

Providers wanting to participate should email michael.caiafa@fcc.gov and gerald.english@fcc.gov by May 26th with the following information:

1. Name of the provider;
2. Names of all participants from the provider;
3. Email and phone numbers of all participants from the provider; and
4. Specific geographic areas (counties, state) that the provider would like to have included in the disaster area for this exercise (optional).

There is no response necessary for providers that do not wish to participate.  

Questions regarding this prep or DIRS generally should be directed to the following in the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Cybersecurity and Communications Reliability Division: 

· Michael Caiafa: michael.caiafa@fcc.gov or (202) 418-1311
· Jay English: gerald.english@fcc.gov or (202) 418-0432
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