Watch Duty founder tells subcommittee government alerting failed during LA fires; urges integration of private tools

John Mills, CEO and cofounder of Watch Duty, told the House Subcommittee on Federal Lands that during the Los Angeles fires his nonprofit app became a primary information source for millions of residents and first responders. "Our government is failing to alert people of their risk during an emergency," Mills said, describing two and a half million downloads in a week and urging a move toward more timely, contextual alerts.

Mills criticized slow, fragmented official alerting and said many government warnings arrived after fires were already at residents' doorsteps. He said Watch Duty provides timelines, maps and direction—information he said many official channels omit: "We tell people how fast a fire is moving, which direction it's heading, and when it crosses containment lines." Mills asked the committee to consider integrating proven private tools into a new intelligence center rather than building a single siloed federal solution.

Mills also warned against a single‑source contractor approach, which he said risks producing ‘‘siloed intelligence that helps the few, not the many.’’ He recommended a multisource approach, interoperability with existing state and local systems, and funding to ensure equitable access for underserved, remote communities.

Committee members asked about how a federal fire-shed center would work; Robert Gordon and other witnesses said the center should consolidate data, prioritize resources and increase interoperability among federal, state and private partners. The committee requested written follow-ups from witnesses to clarify technical and governance details.