As wildfires continue to devastate communities across Southern California, one service is working overtime to keep residents informed − and safe.
Watch Duty uses an app and a web browser to alert people of nearby wildfires and firefighting efforts “in real-time.” By using the platform, California residents being impacted by the Palisades and Eaton fires − among others − can see a list of local shelters, that status of evacuation orders and warnings, as well as regular updates.
John Mills, CEO and co-founder of Watch Duty, said that as a California resident, he has experienced, the same situation tens of thousands of people are dealing with.
When he was forced to evacuate from his home west of Healdsburg in northern California’s Sonoma County because of the Walbridge Fire in 2020, he kept his ear to the ground, listening for any and all updates related to the fire.
“It was just a traumatizing amount …. You’re up all day refreshing your browser tab and trying to figure out where the information is. And turns out, information is on the radio and there are a bunch of the first responder radios,” Mills said in a Wednesday interview with USA TODAY. “There are these people who spend all their days and nights listening to first responders relaying that information on Twitter and Facebook. And that’s what got me through those fires.”
Mills decided to get to work on this “crazy idea” he had, helping his friend build a startup in the wildfire space.
“I’m riding in fire trucks, doing wildland fire training. I’m hanging out with first responders and trying to understand what the worlds looks like and how I can help,” Mills said. “About six months in, I realized what the answer was, and it was what became Watch Duty.”
Here’s what to know about Watch Duty, including how to get it.
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What is Watch Duty?
Watch Duty pictured on a mobile device.
Watch Duty is a non-profit focused on “disseminating public safety information in real-time from verified sources” about wildfires across 14 states, including Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Hawaii and California, according to the Watch Duty website.
Any information posted to Watch Duty comes from active and retired firefighters, dispatchers, and first responders, who routinely monitor radio scanners, working around the clock to bring you up-to-the-minute lifesaving information.
Watch Duty was built in 80 days and officially launched in August 2021, a year after a multiple fires devastated counties in northern California, including Sonoma County.
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How does Watch Duty work?
Watch Duty follows six steps anytime wildfire-related information is disseminated by fire response personnel.
An automated monitoring system picks up the details about an incident reported to the emergency dispatch center, alerting Watch Duty teams via a messaging app, then any and all Watch Duty reporters in the region begin to monitor radio scanners, wildfire cameras, satellites and other public sources.
After that, Watch Duty reporters verify the disseminated information and wait for on-scene personnel to provide an official report on conditions. Watch Duty will notify the affected public of any perceived threat to life or property through the application and will continue to monitor the incident and provide updates until it is extinguished or no longer a threat.
A step-by-step video of how Watch Duty works can be seen below.
Where can I access Watch Duty?
The is available for free to download on the App Store, Google Play, or can be used through your web browser. Watch Duty has been downloaded over 2.8 million times since it was released.
In-app features include:
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Real-time Wildfire Map & Alerts
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Monitor Wildfires and Prescribed Burns
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Air Quality & Wind Direction
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Consolidated Information like red flag warnings or power outages
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Track Active Fire Perimeters
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Evacuation Orders & Shelters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch Duty: Free wildfire alert app helps Californians victims