How to Disaster

John Mills is the co-founder and CEO of Watch Duty, a nonprofit emergency alerting app that gives civilians real-time wildfire intelligence drawn directly from first responder radio traffic. In this episode, John joins Jennifer Gray Thompson to talk about how Watch Duty was built, why it was necessary, and where it is headed.They cover the problem Watch Duty was created to solve, how it scaled from a single county in Sonoma to all 50 US states, the harrowing experience of staying live and accurate during the LA fires, and what it means to build something disruptive in a space that does not always welcome disruption. John also speaks to the future of Watch Duty as it prepares to expand beyond wildfire into flooding and other natural disasters.Resources:How to Disaster Download the Watch Duty appLearn more about After the Fire USAAfter the Fire USA Resource LibraryConnect with Jennifer Gray Thompson on LinkedInProduced by NOVA

In this relaunch episode, Jennifer Gray Thompson explains why How to Disaster is returning now and what the show is here to offer people living through disaster and recovery. She shares how After the Fire began, what the organization has learned from years of walking alongside fire-affected communities, and why recovery works better when people do not try to carry it alone. The episode also introduces the show’s larger mission: helping listeners feel less isolated, more informed, and better able to face what comes next.Resources:How to Disaster Learn more about After the Fire USAAfter the Fire USA Resource LibraryConnect with Jennifer Gray Thompson on LinkedInProduced by NOVA