Finding light in the fire

Leaving my dentist's office in Pacific Palisades on January 7th, I thought the worst part of my day was over.

The gale force winds filled the streets with debris, but no one could have predicted they would fuel a gang of fires that would forever change Los Angeles.

It's been an intense couple of weeks for my family and me, but luckily we are safe. I'm happy to be settling back into my routine, and I’ve finally built up the courage to share my story.

It's surreal to watch your high school burn on KCAL news while texts and alerts flood your phone. After welcoming my in-laws who had evacuated, we found ourselves grasping for meaningful information.

Is their house safe?

Did everyone get out?

What do we do next?

While we didn't have all the answers, we had streams of information that felt like drinking from a fire hose (no pun intended).

When crisis strikes, your mind races between immediate practical needs and overwhelming emotional response. I found myself toggling between hospitality and fighting back tears as I recognized another landmark engulfed in flames on the news.

The information overload was immediate.

We were cycling through an endless number of sources: LAFD Alerts, LAFD News, Calfire, local news stations, Watchduty, Instagram, and e-mail (to name a few). Each source had different updates, creating a dizzying web of information. The cognitive load was taking its toll on our decision-making, especially when emotions were already running high.

I remember trying to make sense of conflicting evacuation zone updates, and I knew something had to change.

That's when I decided to turn my helplessness into action. If I couldn't fight the fire, I could at least fight the confusion.

Finding Purpose in Crisis

Using Replit, the no-code AI-powered development platform, I built a simple app that consolidated critical information to answer three pressing questions:

• What's the latest from authorities?
• Where has the fire spread?
• What are key next steps?

Within a few prompts, the app grew to include four essential pages: fire updates from trusted sources and a Watchduty map, tips on returning home, a list of safety equipment, and guidance on dealing with insurance. As days passed, I added insights from experts and insurance companies, creating a one-stop resource for our community.

Although building a first version was easy, I ran into several challenges relying on incomplete or inconsistent information from government websites. RSS feeds were clunky, info was formatted in various ways, and there was no simple API to access. As a workaround, I automated hourly government website checks, pulled in new information, and applied consistent formats to make the updates more digestible for users. An imperfect solution, but it got the job done.

As time went on, user responses were more and more encouraging. The most rewarding moment came when a neighbor reached out to say she had more visibility and felt more prepared to deal with the fire's aftermath.

Nearly 300 users accessed the app, generating over 600 requests in the first couple of days. People seemed to appreciate having reliable information at their fingertips, especially when the city's alert system broadcast a false evacuation alarm days after the fire. Thanks to the app's multiple source verification, I knew it was an error and avoided unnecessary panic.

Healing and Moving Forward

Today, LA is slowly healing. Utilities are coming back online, and thankfully, my wife's childhood home was spared. But this experience has taught us valuable lessons about community resilience and technological empowerment.

Perhaps the most surprising lesson was how technology could create such intimate connections during crisis. In addition to the app, my wife took the initiative to create and manage the neighborhood WhatsApp group. When neighbors said they'd connected with one another for the first time, I realized we weren't just sharing information – we were building bridges.

Here's what I've learned:

1. The power of focused action: Anyone can make a difference by identifying a specific problem and solving it quickly, even if imperfectly at first. With Replit and AI tools like Perplexity and Claude, I was able to launch a functional app in less than an hour.
2. Community is everything: Know your neighbors before you need them. Having a neighborhood contact list and then creating a WhatsApp group to connect everyone was critical to our response.
3. Preparation is key: Have an evacuation plan and emergency kit ready so that when disaster strikes, you won't delay taking action. Minutes can make the difference between evacuating safely and having to ditch your car due to congested roads.

How You Can Help & Prepare

If you'd like to help our community recover, consider donating to the American Red Cross, Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, or California Fire Foundation. And if you're reading this thinking "it won't happen to me," please take a moment to:

• Create an evacuation checklist with priority levels
• Pack an emergency kit​
• Connect with your neighbors
• Make a family emergency plan​

Remember, resilience isn't about avoiding crisis – it's about facing it together with clarity, compassion, and community. Stay safe out there.

My deepest gratitude goes out to all of the first responders. If you've been impacted by the LA wildfires and need help, or if you have suggestions on improving the LA Wildfire app, reach out to me on LinkedIn.