Watch Duty Expands Disaster Alert Tools for North Bay

New power outage data and flooding features added to popular emergency notification app

Apr. 8, 2026 at 5:45am

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A sweeping, atmospheric landscape painting depicting a North Bay neighborhood shrouded in fog and mist, with only the faintest outlines of homes and buildings visible against the overwhelming power of nature.As the North Bay region braces for the next wave of natural disasters, the expansion of the Watch Duty emergency app aims to provide residents with a comprehensive view of unfolding crises.Santa Rosa Today

The nonprofit emergency alert app Watch Duty is expanding its capabilities to provide North Bay residents with more comprehensive disaster information, including real-time power outage data and upcoming flooding alerts. The app, which has seen rapid growth in recent years, is partnering with PowerOutage.com to display outage details and is also planning to add flood tracking features in 2026.

Why it matters

As the North Bay region continues to face threats from wildfires, power grid issues, and flooding, having a centralized source of emergency information is crucial for public safety. Watch Duty's expansion aims to give users a one-stop-shop for critical alerts and updates during times of crisis.

The details

Watch Duty has signed an agreement with PowerOutage.com to integrate the platform's data on power outages, including location, duration, number of customers affected, and the cause. This new feature will allow the app to provide users with a more complete picture of disaster conditions. Additionally, Watch Duty is planning to roll out flood tracking capabilities in 2026 to address another common threat in the region.

  • Watch Duty launched in August 2021.
  • The app's user base grew to 193,000 in its first year.
  • In 2022, Watch Duty had 16.8 million users and 1.17 billion website visits.
  • The power outage data integration is now live on the app.
  • Flood tracking features are planned for release in 2026.

The players

Watch Duty

A nonprofit emergency alert app that provides timely disaster information to users in the North Bay region and beyond.

PowerOutage.com

A platform that collects and displays data on power outages from utility companies in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Annie Barbour

A Santa Rosa resident and founder of the Coffey Strong support group, who has also worked with the nonprofit insurance advocacy organization United Policyholders to manage disaster resource centers.

Sam Wallis

The Deputy Director of the Sonoma County Office of Emergency Services.

John Mills

The co-founder and CEO of Watch Duty.

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What they’re saying

“As far as emergencies are concerned, Watch Duty is king. I think it's a great idea to install power outage data, alongside the app's location, severity, response and updates to wildfires.”

— Annie Barbour, Founder, Coffey Strong

“As resources go, Barbour has joined other fire survivors as a longtime fan of Watch Duty, which proved significantly valuable during the Los Angeles fires.”

— Annie Barbour, Founder, Coffey Strong

“The more information consumers can get to make decisions, the better. It's in everybody's best interest to have that information bundled.”

— Sam Wallis, Deputy Director, Sonoma County Office of Emergency Services

“2026 is the year that we turn rapid growth into lasting strength, expanding to new hazards, reaching more households and building the foundation that will carry Watch Duty into the next era.”

— John Mills, Co-founder and CEO, Watch Duty

What’s next

Watch Duty plans to release new flood tracking features in 2026 to further enhance its disaster alert capabilities for North Bay residents.

The takeaway

As the North Bay region continues to face a range of natural disasters, the expansion of Watch Duty's emergency notification tools, including power outage data and upcoming flood alerts, demonstrates the app's commitment to providing comprehensive and timely information to help keep communities safe.