By Richard Danforth, CEO, Genasys
The past two weeks have demonstrated a remarkable evolution in emergency response capabilities. As the wildfires in LA County transition to recovery phase, I’ve been reflecting on the extraordinary coordination and dedication shown by emergency response teams across the region.
The scale of this emergency response effort was unprecedented. Emergency teams across the western United States descended upon Los Angeles as a part of a comprehensive mutual aid engagement to fight the fires and keep people safe from the devastation. What stood out wasn’t just the scale, but the technological advancements that enabled first responders from across southern California and beyond to work together in keeping people safe in this unprecedented, historic wildfire event.
This didn’t happen by chance. The Genasys Protect software platform, in particular Genasys EVAC, was instrumental to facilitate cross-agency collaboration in communicating clearly and quickly to the public in harm’s way. During the worst of the wildfire outbreak, hundreds of thousands of residents used the Genasys Protect app, and millions more used protect.genasys.com, to stay updated with trusted, official information to know if and when to evacuate.
As a Southern California first responder involved with the Los Angeles fires recently shared with me, “When this emergency struck, our teams could focus on coordinating the response with EVAC to make it easier to reach people with clear directions and information.” This level of preparedness meant emergency teams could make informed decisions quickly and communicate clearly with residents.
The technological transformation in emergency response over the past five years has been remarkable. Emergency teams now have sophisticated tools for mapping evacuation zones and coordinating communications across multiple channels. During these fires, residents received information through Genasys ALERT, the Genasys Protect app and https://protect.genasys.com, the CAL FIRE website, and user-supported apps like Watch Duty, ensuring consistent, accurate evacuation information reached people when and where they needed it.
What we witnessed was more than just technology at work – it was the culmination of dedication, preparation, and coordination across multiple agencies. Emergency teams sent over 400 zone status changes to critical life-saving situations through Genasys Protect over the first two weeks of the fires, alone.
Genasys EVAC, used to keep LA County community members informed with zone-based notifications through protect.genasys.com and the mobile app, enabled multi-agency collaboration during the historic wildfire outbreak of January 2025.
Lessons Moving Forward
Looking ahead, the lessons learned from this response will help inform future emergency preparedness efforts. The experience gained and the systems refined during this event will serve as valuable reference points for emergency teams across the country.
The goal of emergency response in any disaster situation is always to prevent all loss of life. Our thoughts are with the friends and family members of those who perished in Los Angeles in January 2025. At the same time, we are grateful that Genasys Protect was able to facilitate and accelerate emergency response communications to keep countless others in this heavily-populated region safe and able to rebuild – especially considering the lethal history of fires in other areas.
As we look to the future, safety can continue to improve by insights, awareness, and lessons from Los Angeles— in particular, how power outages and cellular network failures created critical information gaps at the height of the crisis. According to the New York Times, “Residents relied on Facebook feeds, WhatsApp groups and text threads to warn one another to get out. Official evacuation alerts came primarily via cellphones. Many residents with little internet access or without smartphones were left stranded in their homes, overwhelmed by a disaster they never saw coming.”
These communication gaps emphasize how Genasys ACOUSTICS should be a critical part of a Protective Communications toolkit for any emergency. The system’s solar-powered battery backup and satellite connectivity ensures communities receive life-saving information even when cellular networks and internet services fail, as can happen during fires, hurricanes, and other disasters.
Closing Thanks
I want to express my gratitude to the emergency responders who worked tirelessly during this event. Their commitment to protecting their communities sets a new standard for emergency response. As we continue to advance emergency management capabilities, their experiences and insights will help guide the way forward.
