**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**: DA 09-177

February 2, 2009 **NEWS MEDIA CONTACT**

Robert Kenny: (202) 418-2668

Email: [Robert.kenny@fcc.gov]{.underline}

**THE FCC'S PUBLIC SAFETY & HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU ANNOUNCES THE
ACTIVATION OF THE DISASTER INFORMATION REPORTING SYSTEM (DIRS) IN
RESPONSE TO ICE STORMS IN KENTUCKY**

Washington, DC -- The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB)
of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) has announced the
activation of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) in
response to the recent ice storms in Kentucky. DIRS is a voluntary,
efficient, web-based system that communications providers, including
wireless, wireline, broadcast, and cable providers, can use to report
communications infrastructure status and situational awareness
information during times of crises.[^1]

The Commission requests that communications providers expeditiously
submit and update information through DIRS regarding, *inter alia*, the
status of their communications equipment, restoration efforts, power
(*i.e*., whether they are using commercial power, generator or battery),
and access to fuel, if they provide service in any of the following
counties in Kentucky: Ballard, Barren, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler,
Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Daviess, Edmonson,
Fulton, Graves, Grayson, Hancock, Hardin, Hart, Henderson, Hickman,
Hopkins, Jefferson, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, McCracken, McLean,
Marshall, Meade, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Simpson, Todd, Trigg, Union, Warren,
or Webster.[^2] Communications providers can accomplish this by
accessing DIRS at https://www.fcc.gov/nors/disaster/ or under e-filing
on the Commission's main webpage or PSHSB webpage. Providers that have
not previously done so will be asked to first provide contact
information and obtain a User ID when they access DIRS.[^3]

Communications providers that serve areas in any of the Kentucky
counties listed above and that have already provided contact information
in DIRS will be sent an e-mail requesting that they provide the
above-referenced status information through DIRS. We encourage all
communications providers that have not already logged onto DIRS to input
their contact information, do so as soon as possible.

For further information, please contact John Healy of the PSHSB's
Communications Systems Analysis Division at (202) 418-2448 or
John.Healy@fcc.gov.

\- FCC -

[^1]: On July 21, 2007, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
    approved the DIRS information collection under OMB Control Number
    3060-1003. This OMB approval expires on July 31, 2010.

[^2]: Because the information that communications companies input to
    DIRS is sensitive, for national security and/or commercial reasons,
    DIRS filings shall be treated as presumptively confidential upon
    filing. *See* The FCC's Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau
    Launches the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS), *Public
    Notice*, DA 07-3871, 22 FCC Rcd 16757 (2007). To improve the utility
    of DIRS and facilitate Federal restoration efforts, the Commission
    will disseminate DIRS information to other Federal agencies that are
    authorized participants on the Emergency Support Function-2 (ESF-2)
    team.

[^3]: The Commission requests that communications providers (wireline
    carriers, wireless carriers, broadcasters, and cable system
    operators) that choose to participate in DIRS provide contact
    information for any and all individuals in each company who would be
    providing information on the status of communications equipment in
    the event of a disaster. Contact information includes contact name,
    company name, phone number, cell phone number, Blackberry/pager
    number, and e-mail address. This information will be secured by the
    Commission and protected from public release.