Broadcasters and the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS)

The FCC created the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) in 2007 to help the FCC and the Department of Homeland Security's National Communications System (NCS) obtain accurate information regarding the status of communications services during a major disaster, particularly during restoration efforts. Earlier this month, the FCC issued a Public Notice encouraging radio and television broadcasters who have not yet enrolled in DIRS to do so. They also encouraged radio and television broadcasters who are already enrolled to update their contact information on a routine basis.

Additionally, NAB recently produced a brief video in conjunction with the FCC that explains the importance of broadcaster participation in DIRS. Featured in this video is the Chief of the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Jamie Barnett (shown here). This video may be viewed on the NAB Web page: www.nab.org/documents/landingpages/dirs.asp.

DIRS is a voluntary, web-based system that communications companies, including wireless, wireline, broadcast and cable providers, can use to report communications infrastructure status and situational awareness information during times of crisis. The FCC, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local public safety officials rely on the information in DIRS to identify and help broadcast stations in need of fuel, generators and other needed equipment during times of emergencies. Broadcasters’ participation in DIRS is especially important during hurricane season. In the Public Notice, the FCC’s Media and Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureaus acknowledge the nearly 800 broadcasters nationwide who are now enrolled in DIRS, and reiterates the request that those who have not yet enrolled do so as soon as possible given the forecast for significant hurricane activity this summer and fall.

In more detail, the Commission requests that each broadcaster participating in DIRS obtain an individual DIRS User ID for all employees who may provide information on the status of their company’s communications equipment in the event of a disaster. When a qualified user applies for a DIRS User ID, he or she must provide the following: a contact name, company name, phone number, cell phone number, Blackberry/pager number and email address. This information will be secured by the Commission and protected from public release.

When a major disaster is declared and disaster data collection is activated, all affected contacts in DIRS will receive an email informing them of the DIRS activation and requesting status information on their station(s). In addition, broadcasters needing assistance can convey those needs to the FCC and its federal partners via DIRS.

Using DIRS streamlines the reporting process and allows broadcasters to share station status with the Commission, the Department of Homeland Security (including FEMA) and other federal agencies quickly and efficiently. Broadcasters can access DIRS at www.fcc.gov/DIRS to enroll and to obtain a User ID. DIRS can also be accessed under e-filing on the Commission’s main Web page (www.fcc.gov) or on the PSHSB Web page (www.fcc.gov/pshs using the “REPORTING SYSTEMS” link).

For questions about DIRS, contact John Healy at the FCC by email (John.Healy@fcc.gov) or phone (202-418-2448). The full text of the FCC’s Public Notice is available at www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2010/db0806/DA-10-1459A1.pdf. Also available on the Internet is an archived webcast on DIRS which first aired in July 2009, produced by NAB in conjunction with the FCC. This 2009 NAB webcast is available on the TV Worldwide website at www.tvworldwide.com/events/nab/dirs/090714/.

Proposals Now Being Accepted for
2011 NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Conferences April 9 - 14, 2011 Exhibits April 14 - 11
Deadline for submissions is October 22

The 2011 NAB Show will host the 65th NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference. This world-class conference addresses the most recent developments in broadcast technology and focuses on the opportunities and challenges that face broadcast engineering professionals around the world. Each year hundreds of broadcast professionals from around the world attend the conference. They include practicing broadcast engineers and technicians, engineering consultants, contract engineers, broadcast equipment manufacturers, distributors, R&D engineers plus anyone specifically interested in the latest broadcast technologies.

In order to be considered, proposals must explain what attendees can expect to learn from the paper, must not be a sales pitch, and should be no more than 200 words in length.

Papers accepted for presentation at the 2011 NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference will be eligible for the NAB Best Paper Award. Established in 2010, the Best Paper Award honors the author(s) of a paper of exceptional merit published in the NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference Proceedings. The yearly proceedings, published as both a book and a CD-ROM is a compendium of these technical papers, and an important archive of the leading edge of broadcast engineering issues.

Technical paper proposals submitted for the 65th annual Broadcast Engineering Conference will be accepted until the October 22 deadline. If you have any questions, contact John Marino, VP NAB Science and Technology at (202) 429-5346.