Savior in disguise, Watch Duty App Protects People From Wildfires

Watch Duty Shields, Los Angeles:

Watch Duty is an app that must be familiar to the residents of Los Angeles due to its ability to provide the latest information related to wildfires. The app is free and is said to include reports on fire evacuation zones, air quality, and wind patterns, which have become an important tool for such individuals as firefighters and even residents during emergencies. Watch Duty is like a breath of fresh air among tech products as it is ad-free, data tracking-free, and does not bother about increasing user engagement. Over the last few days, it has gained more than a million downloads as it is designed to get rapid and accurate alerts for the sake of user safety. The thought behind Watch Duty came up in 2020 when co-founder John Mills was defending his off-grid residence during the Walbridge fire. Within sixty days, Mills along with David Merritt, Watch Duty’s co-founder and CTO, they were able to build the app.

Strategically designed app:

As the app is nonprofit, it is maintained mostly by volunteers, both engineers and reporters but it does have an interest in tax-free donations offering two tiers of membership which unlocks additional features including a firefighting flight tracker and a feature of setting alerts for over four counties. One of the biggest problems of wildfires is to reach and take over areas and structures in minutes. The delivery systems for notifications and messages take time, sometimes even 15 minutes in government agencies which is terrible. Today, in less than a minute, the app shoots out notifications to 1.5 million users, which is much quicker than many of the often delayed local government systems. Its no-login, no-ad, and no-data tracking nature means users get the information they require without distraction.

Utility for all:

Volunteer Journalists at Watch Duty keep a constant eye on scanners updating the app in real-time for evacuation orders and firefighting efforts. Every piece of information gets verified for accuracy and relevance. The application has grown to cover around 22 states, aiming for nationwide and eventually international reach. According to Merritt, “It is a utility that everyone should have, which is timely, relevant information for their safety during emergencies. Right now, it’s very scattered. Even the agencies themselves, which have the best intentions, their hands are tied by bureaucracy or contracts. We partner with government sources with a focus on firefighting.” Watch Duty plans to expand this service and other emergency services across the United States along with other countries to eventually save millions of people from the slow, often unreliable local government alert systems.

Keeping up with the system:

The app feeds well on all publicly available information and has its eyes on the likes of the National Weather Service, Environmental Protection Agency and others. It is prepared to absorb some costs such as purchasing data from agencies and with several corporate partners with whom it has relationships and contracts to provide its services. The app uses a mixed technology stack which includes Google Cloud platform, Amazon Web Services, Firebase, Fastly, and Heroku. During these times, when wildfires are becoming extensive, Watch Duty is most likely to serve the people by saving their lives.

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Munazza Shaheen

Munazza Shaheen is an AI and technology researcher with a deep interest in machine learning, automation, and emerging tech trends. Her work focuses on exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on industries, ethical AI development, and future innovations. She actively follows advancements in deep learning, robotics, and AI-driven solutions, contributing insights into how technology is shaping the world.