How we built Watch Duty, the lifesaving wildfire alert app | John Mills

Elise Hu interviews John Mills, the creator of Watch Duty, a real-time wildfire alert app. Mills recounts his personal experiences with wildfires that led him to develop the app, emphasizing the need for timely and accurate information during disasters. He explains how Watch Duty operates by utilizing radio operators and volunteers to monitor fire service radio and disseminate critical alerts faster than traditional government systems. Mills addresses the initial resistance from government entities, the importance of trust and accuracy, and the future expansion of Watch Duty to cover other natural disasters like floods, highlighting the role of citizen-backed technology in filling gaps in emergency response.