A Model of Computing and Communication for Public Safety Integrating FirstNet, Edge Computing, and Internet of Things

A Public Safety Network (PSN) is an essential element of the Emergency Management System (EMS) for any country to deal with natural or man-made disasters. PSN is an information and communication infrastructure that assists managing first responders during incident operations. In this article we propose a model of computation and communication that could represent a future alternative public safety network. Our concept is based on the integration of emerging technologies like Fog/Edge Computing, Internet of Things (IoT), and FirstNet network partly in operation in the United States. Our model proposes a synergy between these technologies and forms a platform for highly qualified people (HQP) in training to develop and experiment with their research work. As the technology is similar to that in actual operation, any research results may be more easily adopted by PSNs in actual operations. Mobile edge devices like smart phones, dones, robots, and aerial platforms form part of deployed devices. These are interconnected via gateways to the Internet for providing useful information to incident command centers where managers can make timely decisions. Our model is implemented using off-the-shelf devices both for computing and communication tasks.