Citizen-Driven Network Monitors Public Service Radio For Natural Disaster Alerts

Time is of the essence in almost any emergency situation, especially when it comes to wildfires. A wind-driven fire can roar through a fuel-rich landscape like a freight train, except one that can turn on a dime or jump a gap a mile wide in seconds. Usually, the only realistic defense against fires like these is to get out of their way as soon as possible and make room for the professionals to do what they can to stop the flames.

Unfortunately, most people living in areas threatened by wildfires and other natural disasters often operate in an information vacuum. Official channels take time to issue evacuation orders, and when seconds count, such delays can cost lives. It is a hole that Watch Duty seeks to fill.

Watch Duty is a non-profit wildfire warning, mapping and tracking service that provides near-real-time information to those living in wildfire country. Their intelligence is generated by a network of experienced fire reporters who live in wildfire-prone areas and monitor public radio broadcasts and other sources to get an idea of ​​what’s happening in their particular area. When data indicates an incident occurs, maps are updated and alerts go out via a smartphone app. Reporters must comply strictly code of conduct designed to ensure the privacy of citizens and the safety of first responders.

Although the Watch Duty network covers a significant area of ​​California – the only state covered so far – there were still a significant number of dead zones, mostly in the more remote areas of the Sierra Nevada mountains and in the northern coastal regions. To fill these gaps, Watch Duty was recently launched Watch Duty Echowhich consists of a network of remote listening posts.

Each station is equipped with RTL-SDR receivers that cover a huge range of spectrum used by local fire departments, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical agencies – any organization likely to be called upon to respond to an incident. In addition, each station has an SDR dedicated to monitoring ADS-B transponders and airband frequencies to be alerted to incidents requiring air support. The listening posts have broadband disc antennas and a dedicated 1090-MHz ADS-B antenna, with a cellular modem or Starlink terminal to connect to the Watch Duty network.

Hats off to the folks at Watch Duty for putting considerable effort into a system like this and running it for the public good. Those who choose to live close to nature do so at their own risk, of course, but a citizen-driven network that leverages technology can make that risk a little more manageable.