Becoming the go-to app for natural disaster tracking (with Watch Duty’s John Mills) | Rapid Response
About John
- Co-founded & leads Watch Duty, used by millions and first responders nationwide
- Watch Duty won Apple’s 2025 Social Impact Design Award
- Led Watch Duty to TIME’s 100 Most Innovative Companies recognition
- Built Zenput as founding CTO; company acquired in 2022
- Scaled Watch Duty to all 50 states with 300+ staff and volunteers
| 27:31
During January’s unprecedented wildfires in LA, Watch Duty – a digital platform providing real-time fire data – became the go-to app for tracking the disaster in real time. It’s credited with saving countless lives and redefining the way we monitor natural disasters. Watch Duty’s founder & CEO John Mills joins Rapid Response six months on from the LA fires to share how his small nonprofit responded in the heat of crisis and became a trusted source – even for government agencies. As wildfire season rages on and Texas recovers from devastating floods, Watch Duty’s story underscores both our growing vulnerability to natural disasters driven by climate change and the power of community-based solutions to keep us safe and connected when it matters most.
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