Disaster Information Reporting System

1
Disaster Information Reporting System

• Public Safety Homeland Security Bureau
  Communications Systems Analysis Division
• John Healy

August 21, 2007
2
Outline

• Background
• Why develop the Disaster Information Reporting
  System (DIRS)
• Roles of National Communications Systems (NCS)
  and the FCC in Disaster Recovery
• Process Flows
• Information in DIRS
• Disaster Information Reporting System
• Accessing DIRS
• Viewing contact information
• Adding/updating reports Network status
  information
• Process the data
• Generate tables
• Generate charts
• Generate maps

3
Process During Katrina

• Carriers reported some equipment failures in
  Network Outage Reporting System (NORS)
• Information incomplete
• Information inconsistent across carriers
• Needed information daily on the status of
  equipment
• Numerous phone calls to find out information
• Some Information transmitted via e-mails and
  manually summarized
• Whole process labor-intensive
• Carriers contacted by numerous agencies and
  people in the FCC

4
Why Develop the Disaster Information Reporting
System (DIRS)

• Need information on Network Status
• Need daily updates
• Need process to be automated
• Need consistent data
• Need the right single-points-of-contact

5
Disaster Recovery Reporting

• National Communications System
• Overall Coordination Coordinate the planning for
  and provision of national security and emergency
  preparedness communications for the Federal
  government during disasters and emergencies.
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
• Situation Awareness Data Collection Collect
  network status and restoration information from
  companies through the Disaster Information
  Reporting System (DIRS).

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Disaster Reporting Process
Disaster Data Collection
Disaster Data Collection
Activated
Activated
Company Activity
Done Daily
FCC Activity
NCS Activity
NCS Write SitReP
Send inputs to White House/JTRB
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What Information Does/Will DIRS Have?

• Contact Information
• Information on Network Status in a Disaster Area

8
Contact Information

• Name
• Company
• Phone Number
• Cell Phone Number
• Blackberry Number
• E-mail Address
• Usually NOC People

9
Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS)

• Information on Network Status in a Disaster Area
• Wireline Switch
• Wireline Digital Loop Carrier (DLC)
• Interoffice Facilities Point to Point
• Interoffice Facilities Rings
• Wireline PSAP ALI Provider
• IXC Blocking
• Wireless MSC/STP
• Wireless Cell Site by County
• Broadcast AM, FM, TV Stations
• CATV

10
Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS)
Using the System

• Accessing DIRS
• Viewing contact information
• Adding/updating reports Network status
  information

11
Accessing the Disaster Information Reporting
System (DIRS)

• Production System
• Go to
• https//www.fcc.gov/nors/disaster/
• Alternately
• Go to www.fcc.gov
• Go to E-Filing (see center at top)
• Choose Disaster Information Reporting System

12
Main Menu for an FCC Special User
13
Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS)
Using the System

• Accessing DIRS
• Viewing contact information
• Adding/updating reports Network status
  information

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Contact Information
15
Contact Information
16
Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS)
Using the System

• Accessing DIRS
• Viewing contact information
• Adding/updating reports Network status
  information

17
Add/Update Reports
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Add/Updating Reports
Note FCC Users can update and add reports
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Wireline Switch
20
Wireline Digital Loop Carrier
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Interoffice Facilities - Point to Point
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Interoffice Facilities - Rings
23
Wireline PSAP- ALI Provider
24
IXC Blocking Report
25
Wireless MSC/STP Report
26
Wireless Cell Site by County
27
New Broadcast Disaster Report
28
CATV Report
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Process Data

• Generate tables
• Generate charts
• Generate maps

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Generate Tables

• List reports in DIRS
• Generate data for SitRep tables

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Another Example SitRep Table
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Another Example SitRep Table
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Process Data

• Generate tables
• Generate charts
• Generate maps

34
Example Chart Wireline Status
35
Example Chart Consumers Out of Service
(continued)
36
Another Example Chart Cell Sites Operational
37
Another Example Chart Percent Cell Sites
Operational (continued)
38
Another Example Chart Broadcasters On Air
39
Another Example Chart Percent Radio Stations On
Air (Continued)
40
Another Example Chart Percent TV Stations On
Air (Continued)
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Process Data

• Generate tables
• Generate charts
• Generate maps

42
Example Map - Switches Down or On-Backup Power
43
Example Map Broadcast Stations
44
Example Map Percent of Cell Sites Down
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Timeline for DIRS - Status

• January 2006 to June 2006 Work with major
  companies to determine data to collect
• June 2006 Test version of DIRS available
• November 2006 to May 2006 Friendly user tests
• May 2007 Training Sessions for 100s of wireline
  carriers, wireless carriers, broadcasters, and
  CATV system operators
• July 23, 2007 Final OMB Approval
• August 8, 2007 Final OMD Approval/IATO
• August 9, 2007 Production System put online

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Resources Available to Help You if You Would Like
to Try DIRS

• Test system at https//selafoss.fcc.gov/nors/disas
  ter/
• User Manual at the same URL
• E-Mail
• FCC-Disaster_at_fcc.gov
• john.healy_at_fcc.gov
• david.ahn_at_fcc.gov

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What Will Happen If Disaster Data Collection is
Activated

• An e-mail will go to all the active contacts in
  DIRS.
• The e-mail will contain the URL of the production
  version of DIRS.
• The e-mail will ask the users to use the
  forgotten password link.
• The users will be given a date and time when the
  first set of reports is due.
• The e-mail will state that updates are due daily.