S&T Directorate Unveils Infrastructure Resilience Toolkit

The open-source toolkit uses AI to help emergency managers model infrastructure failures and interdependencies.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Safety

Isometric editorial illustration of interconnected grid hubs and utility conduits, depicting the concept of infrastructure resilience modeling. — The S&T Directorate and NAPSG Foundation launched an open-source toolkit to help emergency managers model infrastructure interdependencies and failure points. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Is your local community well-prepared for potential cascading infrastructure failures during a major disaster?

The Science and Technology Directorate and the NAPSG Foundation have introduced the Local Infrastructure Network Knowledge Toolkit. This tool utilizes custom AI-enabled analytics to help local governments identify potential failure points and model cascading infrastructure effects.

Why it matters

The toolkit is designed to bridge critical information gaps between local infrastructure owner-operators and federal data products. By supporting automated relationship modeling, it provides emergency managers with better situational awareness of significant regional infrastructure.

The toolkit features AI-enabled analytic capabilities to predict cascading failure effects and missing infrastructure inventory. It operates on an open-source foundation and intentionally excludes the storage of sensitive infrastructure data.

The players

Science and Technology Directorate

This component of the Department of Homeland Security manages research, development, and testing to address the nation's security challenges.

NAPSG Foundation

This non-profit organization provides support to public safety agencies through the application of technology and data-driven solutions.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory

This Department of Defense research and development center focuses on advanced technology for national security applications.

The details

Users validate and input information using standardized models, allowing the system to map connections between various assets. The platform was recently highlighted in a demonstration featuring an infrastructure network model of Arapahoe County, Colorado.

A testing and evaluation workshop with MIT Lincoln Laboratory occurred in late October 2026.
A demonstration of the toolkit is planned for early 2027.
The toolkit has an anticipated release and transition date of spring 2028.

Seasonal Patterns

The toolkit aligns with the National Infrastructure Protection Plan's goal of improving coordination between local and federal partners. It extends that policy by providing a tactical, open-source tool for emergency managers to map the specific asset dependencies previously defined by federal standards.

Emergency managers and local officials can begin preparing for the tool's 2028 release by reviewing their current inventory of critical infrastructure assets. The software's design ensures that local data remains secure by avoiding centralized storage, facilitating safer participation for local agencies.

The takeaway

This toolkit represents a move toward decentralized data modeling that prioritizes local autonomy in emergency planning. By using standardized inputs, local governments can improve their internal resilience without needing to share sensitive asset details with outside entities.