DA 26-77 Released: January 23, 2026 THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION ACTIVATES THE DISASTER INFORMATION REPORTING SYSTEM (DIRS) AND THE MANDATORY DISASTER RESPONSE INITIATIVE (MDRI) IN RESPONSE TO WINTER STORM FERN The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission), in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, activates the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) in response to Winter Storm Fern. DIRS is a web-based system that communications providers, including wireless, wireline, broadcast, cable, and Voice over Internet Protocol providers use to report communications infrastructure status and situational awareness information during times of crisis. Cable communications providers, wireless service providers, wireline communications providers, and Interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers that provide service in the areas listed below are required to report their infrastructure status information in DIRS. See 47 CFR § 4.18(a); see also FCC, DIRS, https://dirs.fcc.gov (last visited Jan. 23, 2026). The Commission requests that communications providers that provide service to any areas listed below expeditiously submit and update information through DIRS regarding, inter alia, the status of their communications equipment, restoration efforts, and power (i.e., whether they are using commercial power or back-up power). Communications providers can accomplish this by accessing DIRS at https://www.dirs.fcc.gov. If any user has any problems accessing DIRS, please contact any of the numbers listed below. In DIRS, this activation will have the following name: Winter Storm Fern. DIRS reports are due by 9:00 a.m. (EST) on Saturday, January 24, 2026, and every day thereafter by 9:00 a.m. (EST) until DIRS is deactivated. Cable communications providers, wireless service providers, wireline communications providers, and Interconnected VoIP providers are not required to make submissions in the Network Outage Reporting System (NORS) pertaining to any outage that occurs in the areas in which DIRS has been activated that are timely reported in DIRS. See 47 CFR § 4.18(b). To promote a comprehensive and effective disaster response, PSHSB encourages other communications providers to voluntarily report in DIRS using forms applicable to their infrastructure. DIRS IS ACTIVATED IN THE FOLLOWING GEOGRAPHIC AREAS: Alabama: Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, Dekalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawerence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Walker, and Winston Georgia: Banks, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Dade, Dawson, Dekalb, Douglas, Elbert, Fayette, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Glascock, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Haralson, Hart, Heard, Henry, Jefferson, Lamar, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Madison, McDuffie, Meriwether, Monroe, Murray, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Rabun, Spalding, Towns, Troup, Union, Walker, Warren, White, Whitfield, and Wilkes Kentucky: Adair, Allen, Anderson, Barren, Bell, Boyle, Breathitt, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Casey, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Floyd, Fulton, Garrard, Graves, Grayson, Green, Hardin, Harlan, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Jessamine, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Larue, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lincoln, Logan, Lyon, Madison, Magoffin, Marshall, Martin, McCracken, McCreary, Menifee, Mercer, Metcalfe, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Ohio, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Shelby, Simpson, Taylor, Todd, Trigg, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe, and Woodford Mississippi: Adams, Alcorn, Attala, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Claiborne, Clarke, Clay, Coahoma, Copiah, Covington, DeSoto, Franklin, Grenada, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Itawamba, Issaquena, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lee, Leflore, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pike, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tishomingo, Tippah, Tunica, Union, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Winston, Yalobusha, and Yazoo North Carolina: Ashe, Avery, Beaufort, Bertie, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Cumberland, Davidson, Davie, Durham, EBCI, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Graham, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Hertford, Hoke, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Martin, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, Northampton, Orange, Person, Pitt, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Watauga, Wayne, Wilkes, Wilson, Yadkin, and Yancey South Carolina: Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Florence, Georgetown, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, Williamsburg, and York Tennessee: Bedford, Benton, Cannon, Carroll, Cheatham, Chester, Clay, Coffee, Crockett, Davidson, Decatur, Dekalb, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Franklin, Gibson, Giles, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Maury, McNairy, Montgomery, Moore, Obion, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford, Sequatchie, Shelby, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Tipton, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, Weakley, White, Williamson, and Wilson Virginia: Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Bland, Brunswick, Buchanan, Buckingham, Campbell, Caroline, Carroll, Charles City, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Dickenson, Dinwiddie, Essex, Floyd, Fluvanna, Franklin, Goochland, Grayson, Greensville, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, Henry, James City, King & Queen, King George, King William, Lee, Louisa, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Middlesex, Montogomery, Nelson, New Kent, Nottoway, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Prince William, Pulaski, Richmond County and City of Richmond, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Southampton, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Surry, Sussex, Tazewell, Washington, Westmoreland, Wise, Wythe, and York Further, as a result of the DIRS activation, the Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative (MDRI) is also activated in the below geographic areas. See 47 CFR § 4.17(a)(2). This activation is also responsive to state requests that the Chief of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau activate the MDRI. See 47 CFR § 4.17(a)(3). All facilities-based mobile wireless providers operating in the below-referenced areas are hereby notified and required to: (1) provide for reasonable roaming under disaster arrangements when technically feasible; (2) activate mutual aid arrangements with other facilities-based mobile wireless providers for providing aid upon request to those providers during emergencies; (3) take reasonable measures to enhance municipal preparedness and restoration; (4) take reasonable measures to increase consumer readiness and preparation; and (5) take reasonable measures to improve public awareness and stakeholder communications on service and restoration status. 47 CFR § 4.17(a)(3)(i)-(v); see also FCC, Wireless Network Resiliency During Disasters (June 4, 2024), https://www.fcc.gov/wireless-network-resiliency-during-disasters. MDRI IS ACTIVATED IN THE FOLLOWING GEOGRAPHIC AREAS: Alabama: Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, Dekalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawerence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Walker, and Winston Georgia: Banks, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Dade, Dawson, Dekalb, Douglas, Elbert, Fayette, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Glascock, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Haralson, Hart, Heard, Henry, Jefferson, Lamar, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Madison, McDuffie, Meriwether, Monroe, Murray, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Rabun, Spalding, Towns, Troup, Union, Walker, Warren, White, Whitfield, and Wilkes Kentucky: Adair, Allen, Anderson, Barren, Bell, Boyle, Breathitt, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Casey, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Floyd, Fulton, Garrard, Graves, Grayson, Green, Hardin, Harlan, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Jessamine, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Larue, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lincoln, Logan, Lyon, Madison, Magoffin, Marshall, Martin, McCracken, McCreary, Menifee, Mercer, Metcalfe, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Ohio, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Shelby, Simpson, Taylor, Todd, Trigg, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe, and Woodford Mississippi: Adams, Alcorn, Attala, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Claiborne, Clarke, Clay, Coahoma, Copiah, Covington, DeSoto, Franklin, Grenada, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Itawamba, Issaquena, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lee, Leflore, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pike, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tishomingo, Tippah, Tunica, Union, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Winston, Yalobusha, and Yazoo North Carolina: Ashe, Avery, Beaufort, Bertie, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Cumberland, Davidson, Davie, Durham, EBCI, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Graham, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Hertford, Hoke, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Martin, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, Northampton, Orange, Person, Pitt, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Watauga, Wayne, Wilkes, Wilson, Yadkin, and Yancey South Carolina: Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Florence, Georgetown, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, Williamsburg, and York Tennessee: Bedford, Benton, Cannon, Carroll, Cheatham, Chester, Clay, Coffee, Crockett, Davidson, Decatur, Dekalb, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Franklin, Gibson, Giles, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Maury, McNairy, Montgomery, Moore, Obion, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford, Sequatchie, Shelby, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Tipton, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, Weakley, White, Williamson, and Wilson Virginia: Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Bland, Brunswick, Buchanan, Buckingham, Campbell, Caroline, Carroll, Charles City, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Dickenson, Dinwiddie, Essex, Floyd, Fluvanna, Franklin, Goochland, Grayson, Greensville, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, Henry, James City, King & Queen, King George, King William, Lee, Louisa, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Middlesex, Montogomery, Nelson, New Kent, Nottoway, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Prince William, Pulaski, Richmond County and City of Richmond, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Southampton, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Surry, Sussex, Tazewell, Washington, Westmoreland, Wise, Wythe, and York The FCC continues to monitor this event and may amend the DIRS or MDRI activation area in the coming days. Providers should familiarize themselves with the Commission’s DIRS and MDRI requirements. See generally 47 CFR §§ 4.17-4.18. For answers to frequently asked questions about DIRS, visit https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/DIRS-FAQs0425.pdf. Details on the MDRI can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/wireless-network-resiliency-during-disasters. For more information on the FCC’s and PSHSB’s response to Winter Storm Fern, please visit https://www.fcc.gov/fern. For further information on this DIRS activation, please contact: Michael Caiafa (202) 418-1311, michael.caiafa@fcc.gov John Healy (215) 847-8094, john.healy@fcc.gov Juan Chapa, (202) 418-0431, juan.chapa@fcc.gov FCC 24/7 Operations Center (202) 418-1122, fccops@fcc.gov For further information concerning this MDRI activation, please contact: Justin Cain, (202) 853-7365, (202) 418-2924, justin.cain@fcc.gov Logan Bennett, (202) 418-7790, logan.bennett@fcc.gov FCC 24/7 Operations Center, (202) 418-1122, fccops@fcc.gov - FCC - 2