FCC Announces Exercise of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS)

The FCC released a Public Notice today announcing a June 10-12 exercise of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS). Communications providers, including broadcast, wireless, satellite, broadband, and wireline providers, interested in participatingmust register by June 3.

DIRS is the FCC online system through which providers report information on the operational status of communications assets during disasters and recovery efforts. The FCC shares DIRS information with emergency management officials and the public. The data also informs restoration efforts by federal partners.

The exercise will begin on June 10 with a mock activation letter requesting that providers report data on communications assets that fall within a hypothetical disaster area. Participants, including those that do not have any assets in the hypothetical disaster area, may submit mock data. Participants' initial data is due by June 11 at 10am (EST), and updated reports are due by June 12 at 10am (EST). The exercise will conclude with a deactivation letter on June 12 at 3pm (EST).

While participation in this exercise is voluntary, the FCC has already adopted a rule that will require wireline, wireless, interconnected VoIP, and cable providers to participate in DIRS (effective date TBD).

To participate in the exercise, providers must send an email by June 3to michael.caiafa@fcc.gov and john.healy@fcc.gov, containing (in Excel format):

1. Name of the provider;

1. Name, email, and phone number of each participant from the provider; and

1. Counties that the provider would like to be included in the hypothetical disaster area for the exercise (optional).

For more information on DIRS, please contact your attorney at Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth.