Federal Communications Commission DA 26-92 DA 26-92 Released: January 28, 2026 FCC AMENDS THE ACTIVATION AREA OF THE DISASTER INFORMATION REPORTING SYSTEM AND THE MANDATORY DISASTER RESPONSE INTIATIVE IN MISSISSIPPI AND TENNESSEE FOR COMMUNICATIONS IMPACTS FROM 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 Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) 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). On January 25, 2026, the Commission announced the expansion of this activation to include additional counties in Kentucky, as well as to deactivate DIRS in certain counties in South Carolina. The Federal Communications Commission Modifies the Activation of the Disaster Information Reporting System and the Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative For Communications Impacted by Winter Storm Fern, Public Notice, DA 26-84 (PSHSB Jan. 25, 2026). On January 26 and 27, 2026, the Commission deactivated the DIRS and the MDRI in counties in several states. FCC Deactivates the Disaster Information Reporting System and the Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative in Certain States for Communications Impacted by Winter Storm Fern, Public Notice, DA 26-91 (PSHSB Jan. 27, 2026); The Federal Communications Commission Deactivates the Disaster Information Reporting System and the Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative in Several States for Communications Impacted by Winter Storm Fern, Public Notice, DA 26-87 (PSHSB Jan. 26, 2026). By this Public Notice, at the request of Tennessee and Mississippi, and in coordination with FEMA, PSHSB expands the activation of DIRS and the MDRI in the below-referenced areas of Tennessee, and deactivates the DIRS and the MDRI in the below-referenced areas of Mississippi, in response to Winter Storm Fern. ADDITIONAL COUNTIES FOR DIRS ACTIVATION INCLUDE: Tennessee:  Bledsoe, Blount, Cumberland, Hamilton, Hawkins, Lewis, and Sevier Cable communications providers, wireless service providers, wireline communications providers, and interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers that provide service in the areas listed above 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). DIRS is a web-based system that communications providers, including wireless, wireline, broadcast, cable, and interconnected 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 above 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 Thursday, January 29, 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 TENNESSEE 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: Tennessee:  Bledsoe, Blount, Cumberland, Hamilton, Hawkins, Lewis, and Sevier Upon 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 MISSISSIPPI Also by this Public Notice, the Commission, at the request of the state of Mississippi and in coordination with FEMA, deactivates DIRS and the MDRI for the following counties in Mississippi impacted by Winter Storm Fern: Mississippi:  Adams, Amite, Attala, Bolivar, Chickasaw, Claiborne, Clarke, Clay, Coahoma, Copiah, Covington, DeSoto, Franklin, Itawamba, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lee, Lincoln, Lowndes, Monroe, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Quitman, Rankin, Simpson, Smith, Tate, Tunica, Wayne, Webster, Hinds, Madison, Pike, Scott, Marion, Washington, Warren, and Winston Cable communications providers, wireless service providers, wireline communications providers, and interconnected VoIP providers that provide service in the above-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. As of the release of this Public Notice, cable communications providers, wireless service providers, wireline communications providers, and interconnected VoIP providers that provide service in the above-referenced areas must resume making submissions in the NORS concerning any incidents that are reportable under those rules. See 47 CFR § 4.18(b). DIRS AND MDRI REMAIN ACTIVATED IN: Mississippi:  Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Carroll, Choctaw, Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Kemper, Lafayette, Leflore, Marshall, Montgomery, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Yalobusha, and Yazoo Tennessee:  Benton, Cheatham, Chester, Clay, Davidson, Decatur, Dickson, Giles, Hardeman, Hardin, Henderson, Hickman, Lawrence, Macon, Marshall, Maury, McNairy, Montgomery, Overton, Perry, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Wayne, Williamson, and Wilson 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 the 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, 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 For more information on the FCC’s response to Winter Storm Fern, please visit https://www.fcc.gov/fern. - FCC - 2