The FCC will have a Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) exercise for broadcasters on September 13-14, 2018. The purpose of this exercise is to help users become familiar with the system and be ready to file DIRS reports when a real disaster strikes.
The FCC will send out the DIRS 2018 EXERCISE activation letter at 10 AM (EDT) on September 13, 2018. Your first set of reports will be due at 3 PM on September 13. They will also ask you to update your reports by 11 AM on September 14.
The URL for DIRS is https://www.fcc.gov/nors/disaster/.
- If you do not have a login, there is a link on the login page which will allow you to get a User ID and password.
- When you create a new account, under “Reporting Company”, please use your company name instead of station name. By using the company name, you only need one account to input information on multiple stations that your company owns.
- If you have a User ID, but do not remember your password, please use the forgotten password link on the login page.
- If you have a User ID and a password, please use them to log into DIRS and update your contact information.
- There is a User Manual available at the DIRS website.
When DIRS is activated, the information the FCC requests from broadcasters includes whether stations are transmitting, the power status and locations of transmitters, whether they are able to transmit from alternate locations, and whether the stations have functioning generators. The DIRS template for broadcast station information is shown below:
Reporting in DIRS is easy because DIRS is set up to auto-populate the geographic information. Once you enter the correct call sign, DIRS will look up the information stored in the system and populate the latitude, longitude, city, state, and facility ID for the call sign.
DIRS has drop down menus for “Status”, “Power Status of the Transmitter”, “Generator Available” and “Fuel” – just choose the appropriate entries.
There are two levels of users in DIRS: inputters and coordinators. Inputters can only see the information that they personally input. Coordinators can see all the information that has been input by anyone from their company. Members of the DIRS team at the FCC are the only ones who can upgrade a user’s status from inputter to coordinator.
If you have any problems accessing DIRS, inputting information into DIRS, or need any other type of help, please feel free to contact Julia Tu at 202-418-0731, Michael Caiafa at 202-418-1311, David Ahn at 202-418-0853, or John Healy at 215-847-8094.
