Challenge targets disaster response, resilience

Three agencies within the Department of Commerce have initiated a $1 million initiative they said is designed to accelerate disaster response and resilience technology.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA), in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) recently initiated the $1 Million Accelerate R2 Network Challenge.

The Accelerate R2 Network Challenge is designed to connect stakeholders in the disaster response and resiliency industries from across the country to accelerate the pace of technological innovation, agency representatives said.

“Never is the link between public safety response and economic impact more prevalent than during a disaster,” Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fleming said. “The R2 Challenge will create new economic opportunities, including jobs and private sector investment as well as increase resilience to future disasters.”

The effort involves seeking proposals from organizations to form networks on a national scale supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, research, and investment in transformative technologies in the response and resiliency markets.

EDA is making up to $750,000 available in funding, while NIST is contributing up to $250,000 through its Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) program to connect stakeholders engaged in advancing technologies used by first responders.