Internet of things

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How IoT might transform the practice of emergency management

Public information and warning

This is an obvious application for IoT, and the baseline technology is already in use. Traffic
information from sensors (like surveillance cameras) at busy intersections or major thoroughfares
can detect patterns and issue alerts to drivers in real-time.

Even though millions of drivers already use this technology in the form of mobile apps and GPS
units, algorithms will make this process more efficient while consumer driven investments in the
technology will make it more effective over time. This is especially important when saving time
could result in saving lives.

An example of the many possibilities can be found in Quakebot, an algorithm that extracts
earthquake data from the US Geological Survey and issues a description of the event to news
outlets. In the near future new algorithms will collect more sensor data, make more rapid
decisions, and then notify individuals or communities through mobile apps or other devices near
instantaneously.

The next wave of technological advancement in the IoT will see a tremendous increase in the
speed at which this data gathering, analysis, and dissemination occurs, ultimately re-shaping how
emergency management agencies plan for and manage public information and warning.

Evacuation

Although it is a relatively rare occurrence, it’s not difficult to imagine scenarios where IoT sensors
feed real-time information to and from devices during evacuations. This information could
potentially alter evacuation routes in real-time, synchronize updates with instructions and other
information (see above), or, provide clear and concise evacuation instructions to thousands of
evacuees as they navigate road closures or exit routes. Additionally, the IoT could -- within
boundaries set by civil liberties and privacy standards -- enable the gathering of data during an
evacuation that informs decision makers about evacuee locations, health and other factors. Finally,
data about normal conditions and traffic patterns could be used to project scenarios and better
inform evacuation planning.

Mass care

Sensors in shelters can already gather information through automated registration and tracking
systems -- a technology that will only become more efficient as the IoT matures. For example,
personal health monitoring mobile apps and other technologies are already available on the
market, and can share this data with primary care providers.

Data of this sort accumulated during mass care response efforts could be leveraged through
partnerships between health care facilities, clinics, and emergency managers in order to better
facilitate the management of care.

Emerging technologies that can gather basic health information from users and transmit that data
to health practitioners in other locations could also drastically reduce the need for health workers
and volunteers to be physically present in disaster affected areas, thereby opening new avenues
for virtual diagnoses and care that could reduce costs and save lives.

Event security

Stadiums, malls, political rallies, concerts and amusement parks (among dozens of other possible
venues) are vulnerable to terrorist attacks and other threats and hazards. Crowdsourcing and
surveillance footage, among other sensor data, could be coupled with threat information and
intelligence gathered and analyzed by fusion centers or other intelligence agencies to identify
nefarious individuals or suspicious activities. The baseline technologies are already in place and
used by jurisdictions to monitor social media activity at major events.

Although they have their limits, IoT connected devices and algorithms could create efficiencies
above and beyond existing capabilities to monitor activities and movements aimed at protecting
large crowds and venues. The most apparent challenge, as with all of the areas discussed in this
article, lies in balancing the need for security with privacy protections for individuals.

Risk assessment and vulnerability analysis

Risk and vulnerability for people and geographic locations fluctuates over time. This fluctuation is
difficult to incorporate into even the most advanced risk assessments. By leveraging IoT
applications and systems, emergency managers can better understand risk and vulnerability in

near real time, which could in turn guide investments of energy and resources that better mitigate
known risks and vulnerabilities.

For example, sensors monitoring weather or oceanic conditions could feed into data streams on
populations or points of interest, enhancing the ability to predict the likelihood and consequences
of disasters.

Critical infrastructure protection

As critical infrastructure becomes “smarter,” it also becomes more vulnerable. While the IoT could
simultaneously re-define how we go about managing and securing critical infrastructures and find
efficiencies in things like access control, identity verification and IT security, the IoT is also likely to
result in critical infrastructures that are far more vulnerable, simply by virtue of being interconnected, and therefore interdependent.

Emergency managers should work with critical infrastructure owners and operators to monitor
systems and structures, and to anticipate an entirely new family of IoT vulnerabilities facing critical
infrastructure sectors. Information gleaned from this dialogue can then be woven into risk
assessments, vulnerability analyses, planning, training and exercises -- staples of emergency
management practice that can in turn support stakeholders and partners at all levels of
government and across sectors.

These are but a few of the likely impacts facing the emergency management community as the IoT
takes root. Emergency managers need to engage in frank dialogue on areas where IoT applications
and systems could greatly enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Practitioners must also learn more
about the potential vulnerabilities posed by the IoT in order to better serve their jurisdictions, and
think proactively about the consequences for civil liberties and privacy if and when their
organizations begin to implement or leverage IoT enabled technologies and the data they collect.

Through robust dialogue practitioners can better position themselves to both maximize the
benefits of these new and emerging technologies, and better understand the inevitable impact it
will have on the work of saving lives.

Dr. Andrew Coffey is a senior analyst for policy and research at IEM, a global security consulting
firm specializing in homeland security, emergency management, defense and information
technology. His consulting background includes policy development, program evaluation, network
analysis and strategic planning. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy from Virginia
Tech, and can be reached at

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