Impos73r Future Breaches & Past Disasters

The talk introduces the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center, a volunteer nonprofit founded around 2008 that sends people and equipment to communities whose connectivity has been cut off by disasters. The speaker, a regional deputy director who also works as a security engineer, outlines the group's history, its partnerships with technology companies, and its reach across FEMA regions.

The middle section covers field work. Examples include a training exercise in New York that simulated a grid-down scenario, using a cellular backhaul, mesh access points and a wireless bridge to cross a gorge. Other deployments included a Wi-Fi project for underserved rural areas, support for the Baltimore bridge collapse response, and hurricane work in Florida, where sites ranged from donation warehouses to a repurposed prison. A recurring lesson was that plans rarely survive contact with a site, so troubleshooting and improvising are the most valuable skills. The remote response team provides situational awareness, logistics and help desk support, while a newer cyber incident support team helps government, education and utility organizations recover after attacks.

To close, the speaker explained how to get involved: apply through the volunteer page, complete background checks and onboarding, and take FEMA incident management courses. In Q&A, the speaker said volunteers generally do not receive employer pay protections unless their company partners with the group, and that deployment templates are adjusted for each site. The takeaway is that skilled defenders can donate their time to help communities and organizations get back online.