The Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T’s) Community and Infrastructure Resilience Program conducts research in new and emerging technologies for streamlining and optimizing disaster resilience investments in insurance, mitigation, and recovery operations and assistance programs. It also supports the development of standards and best practices and enables improved information-sharing capabilities.
Natural disasters have cost the United States over $1.79 trillion since 1980. The inevitability of natural disasters will impact the American population, infrastructure, and first responders. In an effort to minimize future impacts, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires innovative technologies and processes to support their response and recovery efforts and enable a more resilient future.
The Community and Infrastructure Resilience Program aims to provide solutions addressing the complex problems related to natural disasters and manmade events and an approach to technology deployments that takes into account all hazards.
Advancing Community and Infrastructure Resilience
The Community and Infrastructure Resilience Program directly addresses the requirements of FEMA and first responders. Through the development of technologies, research in critical topic areas, and the deployment of best practices across federal, state, local, and private organizations, the Community and Infrastructure Resilience Program is empowering all levels of government to collect and monitor key threats and improve abilities to share this information across their communities.
The program accomplishes its goals through six distinct project areas:
- Tech Speak Minisode Podcast: All Hazards Focused
- Feature Article: Giving a Dam Some Much-Needed Support with Innovative Materials
- News Release: DHS S&T Issues $1.9M Contract to Help FEMA Stabilize Community Resources in Disasters
- News Release: DHS Prize Winners Announced in $195K Challenge to Counter Extreme Temperatures
- News Release: DHS Announces Cooling Solutions Prize Challenge Finalists in Celebration of Earth Day
- News Release: DHS Publishes Free Resources to Protect Critical Infrastructure From GPS Spoofing
- Feature Article: Balance of Power—Building a Resilient Electric Grid
- Feature Article: S&T Leading the Way in Adapting to Climate Change and Building Community Resilience
- Feature Article: Upcoming S&T Guidance Will Improve Critical Infrastructure Resilience
- Feature Article: New Guidebooks Help Urban Communities Install Low-Cost Sensors to Reduce Flood Risks
- Snapshot: S&T Brings Partners Together to InSPIRE Disaster Preparedness and Resilience Innovation
Contact: CIR_STMCS@hq.dhs.gov.
Learn more about our R&D mission and discover how you can Work with S&T to help strengthen the nation's homeland security.
Visit S&T Impact: Disaster Resilience to learn more about how our R&D improves community resilience to natural disasters through technology and tools that support planning, decision making and mitigation efforts.