Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 14, 2009, at 3:30 p.m. EDT, the National Association of Broadcasters will host a 30-minute live webcast on why broadcasters should participate in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS). DIRS is a voluntary, Web-based system that broadcasters can use to report their operational status and locate critical resources they may lack during emergencies. The FCC, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local public safety officials rely on the information in DIRS to identify and potentially help broadcast stations in need of fuel, generators and other needed equipment during times of emergencies. Click here to access the live webcast.

The discussion will include:

• The history and purpose of DIRS
• The vital benefits for broadcasters that participate in DIRS
• Step-by-step instructions for obtaining a DIRS account and reporting your station’s situation during major disasters
• NAB’s three-day national campaign to increase broadcaster participation in DIRS

You will hear from the following experts from the FCC and NAB, and you will have the opportunity to engage in live Q&A throughout the session:

• John Healy – Communications Systems Analysis Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, FCC
• Larry Walke – associate general counsel, NAB
• David Layer – senior director, Advanced Engineering, NAB

Contact NAB’s Larry Walke at (202) 429-5313 for more information.

Click here to learn more about the FCC's DIRS program and to sign up.