FCC, FEMA Team Up for Disaster Reporting

From Radio World:

Though the federal government is closed Tuesday, some employees at FEMA and the FCC still are logging long hours.

WASHINGTON–In anticipation of Hurricane Sandy, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau activated its Disaster Information Reporting System. The organization expects to soon see its first reports. 

DIRS is a web-based system that broadcasters and other communications providers can voluntarily use to report communications infrastructure status and situational awareness information during a crisis.

The commission has asked communications providers to report the status of restoration efforts, and whether they’re on commercial power, a generator or battery, as well as their fuel access.

The FCC is especially interested in receiving reports from Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and West Virginia.

Access DIRS here.