Federal Communications Commission DA 26-XX DA 26-84 Released: January 25, 2026 THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MODIFIES THE AREA OF ACTIVATION OF THE DISASTER INFORMATION REPORTING SYSTEM AND MANDATORY DISASTER RESPONSE INTIATIVE FOR COMMUNICATIONS IMPACTED BY WINTER STORM FERN On January 23, 2026, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB), in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), announced the activation of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) and the Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative (MDRI) in certain counties in states impacted by Winter Storm Fern. The Federal Communications Commission Activates the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) and the Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative (MDRI) In Response To Winter Storm Fern, Public Notice, DA 26-77 (PSHSB Jan. 23, 2026). On January 24, 2026, the FCC announced the expansion of this activation to include additional counties in Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Federal Communications Commission Announces the Expansion of the Disaster Information Reporting System and the Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative For Communications Impacted By Winter Storm Fern, Public Notice, DA 26-83 (PSHSB Jan. 24, 2026). By this Public Notice, PSHSB expands the activation of DIRS and the MDRI in the below-referenced areas at the request of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and deactivates DIRS and the MDRI in the below-referenced areas of South Carolina, in response to Winter Storm Fern. ADDITIONAL COUNTIES FOR DIRS ACTIVATION INCLUDE: Kentucky: Bath, Bourbon, Boyd, Carter, Clark, Elliott, Fleming, Greenup, Harrison, Lewis, Mason, Nicholas, Robertson, Rowan, and Scott DIRS is a web-based system that communications providers, including wireless, wireline, broadcast, cable, and interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers use to report communications infrastructure status and situational awareness information during times of crisis. 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. Providers that have not previously done so will be asked to first provide contact information and obtain a User ID when they access DIRS. There is a link on the login page that will allow them to obtain the User ID and password. If a user does not remember their password, they should use the forgotten password link on the login page. If any user has any problems accessing DIRS, please contact any of the numbers listed below. In DIRS, this activation has the following name: WINTER STORM FERN. DIRS reports are due by 9:00 a.m. EST on Monday, January 26, 2026, and each 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 incidents that arise during the DIRS activation 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. MDRI EXPANDED TO INCLUDE COUNTIES IN KENTUCKY As a result of PSHSB’s expansion of the DIRS activation area, the MDRI has also been expanded to include the below-referenced areas in response to Winter Storm Fern. ADDITIONAL COUNTIES FOR MDRI ACTIVATION INCLUDE: Kentucky: Bath, Bourbon, Boyd, Carter, Clark, Elliott, Fleming, Greenup, Harrison, Lewis, Mason, Nicholas, Robertson, Rowan, and Scott Upon the release of this Public Notice, all facilities-based mobile wireless providers operating in such areas are 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; (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. Facilities-based mobile wireless providers that serve the above-referenced areas and that have provided contact information in DIRS will be individually notified that the MDRI has been activated in their area. PSHSB will announce when the MDRI has been deactivated by subsequent Public Notice. Providers should familiarize themselves with the Commission’s MDRI requirements. 47 CFR § 4.17. Details on the Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative can be found on the FCC website at https://www.fcc.gov/wireless-network-resiliency-during-disasters. DEACTIVATION OF DIRS AND MDRI IN CERTAIN COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA Also by this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission), at the request of the State of South Carolina and in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is announcing the deactivation of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) and the Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative (MDRI) for the following counties in South Carolina impacted by Winter Storm Fern: South Carolina: Bamberg, Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, and Marion Cable communications providers, wireless service providers, wireline communications providers, and interconnected VoIP providers that provide service in the below-referenced areas are no longer required to report their infrastructure status daily in DIRS for this event. See 47 CFR § 4.18(a)(1). These providers must provide a single, final report to the Commission within 24 hours of release of this Public Notice detailing the state of their infrastructure at the time of DIRS deactivation and an estimated date of resolution of any remaining outages. 47 CFR § 4.18(a)(2). PSHSB encourages other communications providers that voluntarily reported in DIRS to also submit a final DIRS report. DIRS AND MDRI REMAIN ACTIVATED IN: Alabama: Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, Dekalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Walker, and Winston Georgia: Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Clark, 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, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Rabun, Rockdale, Spalding, Towns, Troup, Union, Walker, Walton, 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 Maryland: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carolina, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Prince George's, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, and Talbot Mississippi: Adams, Alcorn, Amite, 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 New Jersey: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Ocean, and Salem New York: Nassau, Richmond, and Suffolk 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, Barnwell, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, 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, City of Galax, City of Hopewell, City of Lynchburg, City of Manassas, City of Manassas Park, City of Martinsville, City of Norton, City of Petersburg, City of Radford, City of Richmond, and City of Williamsburg, 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 West Virginia: Boone, Fayette, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Preston, Raleigh, Randolph, Summers, Webster, and Wyoming Providers should continue to provide information for the counties in which DIRS and the MDRI remain activated. The FCC continues to monitor this event and may amend the DIRS or MDRI activation area in the coming days. 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, fccoperationcenter@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 For more information on the FCC’s response to Winter Storm Fern, please visit https://www.fcc.gov/fern. - FCC - 2