The Watch Duty Team

Brent currently resides in the Northern Sacramento Valley and is a former resident of the Paradise area. After having spent a number of years as a Red Cross Disaster Volunteer, notably during wildfires, Brent now assists with reporting on fires for Watch Duty across the Western States. He also enjoys beekeeping as a hobby.

Brent holds IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; IS-00700.b; IS-00800.d; L-180; S-130; and S-190 certifications.

Cole Euken, a resident of Lake County, CA, began reporting on fires in 2015, shortly after the Valley Fire ravaged his hometown of Middletown.  A founding member of the Watch Duty team, Cole now covers Watch Duty’s entire service area.Cole is also a freelance fire/emergency service photographer who captures and reports on incidents local to him. 

Cole holds IS-00100.c and IS-00700.b certifications.

David Altamirano serves as Watch Duty’s Agency Representative, acting as the primary liaison to fire, law enforcement, and emergency management partners. With over four decades of fire service experience, including a distinguished career as a Fire Captain with the Orange County Fire Authority, David brings deep operational knowledge and a collaborative approach to building trusted relationships across the public safety community. He first joined Watch Duty as a Reporter in 2023 and now helps agencies navigate our platform to better support their missions during critical incidents.

David holds IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; IS-00315.a; IS-00320; IS-00700.b;and S-190 certifications.

Don retired from the Fire Service in 2018, following a career spanning 36 years as a Firefighter, Engineer, Paramedic, Structural Collapse/Confined Space Technician, and Field Training Officer, with fire agencies in California and Oregon. Over the course of his career, Don was deployed on numerous wildland fires in both states. 

Prior to beginning his career, he served as a volunteer firefighter in Riverside County, California. Now residing in northern Nevada, Don helped form Eastern Sierra Fire & Ice on Facebook, reporting on fires and weather-related events in and around northwestern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra region of California. In retirement, Don and his wife also founded an animal rescue and sanctuary for turtles and tortoises.

Don holds IS-00029.a; IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c;and IS-00700.b certifications.

Jennifer has been reporting on fires for over since 2014 after her family became a victim to the Carlton Complex Fire. She has started a Facebook page My Storm and Fire Info, became a storm spotter with SkyWarn through the NWS, and took a NASA ARSET class "Satellite Observations and Tools for Fire Risk, Detection, and Analysis". Jennifer has an accounting degree but she focuses on supporting her firefighter husband and family, and notifying her community of fire and storm events.

Jennifer holds IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; and IS-00700.b certifications.

Jessi was on the Warner Mountain fire lookout in the 90's and that spark of fascination with fire and weather never completely went out. She was an emergency dispatcher and training manager before founding Distinction Jewelry. The 2020 fires in Oregon were a wakeup call about the increased wildfire danger to the state, and how inadequate public communications were (and are). She made it her mission not to be caught unaware again and began seeking tools to track fires and relay information to the public, which led her to Watch Duty and a new interest in public-interest disaster journalism. She joined Watch Duty as a volunteer contributor in 2023, soon becoming a reporter, then Oregon Regional Captain before joining the staff in her current role. 

Jessi holds IS-00100.c; IS-00320; and IS-00700.b certifications

Josh Leone, a 3rd generation resident of the Russian River, is known for his reporting on fires, floods and other disasters. He is a weather watcher, a community resource for extreme weather and fire information, and loves camping with his family. A founding member of the Watch Duty team, he helps to manage the Russian River Resources and Information Facebook page and the Sonoma County Fire Updates page.

Katlyn currently lives in the PNW, having grown up in the San Juan Islands. She was introduced to fire in 2020 by her husband, a tenured WLFF, and has been monitoring fires around North America since. She is diligent about providing accurate, up-to-date, and reliable information to best serve the Evergreen state she loves.

Katlyn holds an NREMT, and IS-00029.a; IS-00042.a; IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; IS-00700.b; IS-00800.d; L-180; S-130; and S-190 Certifications.

Liam Winstead runs @SDCountyFires on Twitter/X and Brush Fire Partyline / San Diego North County on Facebook. He’s a lifelong San Diegan and is recent graduate of UC San Diego, with degrees in Real Estate & Development and Urban Studies & Planning.

Michael Silvester, aka CA Fire Scanner, has been reporting on wildfires in California since 2017. He is based in New Zealand, and that time difference is an advantage as he covers many of our night shifts.

Michael holds IS-00029.a; IS-00100.c; and IS-00700.b certifications.

Patricia Jacobs (Trisha) moved to California 30+ years ago, where she experienced her first wildfire and evacuation. Trisha has been living and working in the Central Sierra Nevada foothills while raising her two kids. She monitors and reports on wildfires and emergencies previously as a reporter for Sierra News Online, through Facebook, Twitter(@trishaswcfirewx), and now as a Staff Reporter for Watch Duty. Trisha believes in providing fast, accurate information from official sources to empower communities.

Trish holds IS-00029.a; IS-00042.a; IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; and IS-00700.b certifications.

Sara Paul has been reporting on fires since 2017, when the Tubbs fire swept through Sonoma County and she was frustrated by the lack of information available. A founding member of the Watch Duty team, she is a certified community wildfire mitigation specialist and serves on the Board of Safer West County and her local Fire Protection District Board. She runs and moderates several Sonoma County social media groups focused on emergencies. Sara holds a range of FEMA certifications and wildfire mitigation certifications, and is a GMRS enthusiast. She leads Mentorship and Engagement within the Watch Duty team. 

Sara holds  IS-00029.a; IS-00042.a; and IS-00100.c certifications

Sekhar Padmanabhan, aka “barkflight” on social media, began covering fires and other breaking news in the early 2000s as a newspaper reporter. A lifelong Californian, he now reports on wildfires across the state on social media and his website. Sekhar serves as staff to his cats and has a bachelor’s in communications and is working on a master’s degree in journalism.

Sekhar holds a  IS-00100.c certification.

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Zak is based in Flagstaff and launched Watch Duty’s coverage into Northern Arizona. During the 2022 firestorms, Zak noticed a lack of centralized info in the Flagstaff area and began informing his neighbors and community about fire danger. He joined Watch Duty in 2023, and now reports on fires across our coverage area and now leads our Echo Radio Project.

Zak holds IS-00029.a; IS-00042.a; IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; and IS-00700.b certifications.

Adam is a Colorado native and graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Natural Resources. He has been reporting fires to the Colorado Wildfire Information Facebook page since the High Park Fire in 2012

Originating from Ventura County, Adam has been following wildfires for multiple years which brought him to the scenic Central Coast, where he pursues a degree in Forestry and Fire Science at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. During peak wildfire season, Adam works for the Forest Service as a wildland firefighter on the Los Padres National Forest.

Adam holds IS-00029.a; IS-00042.a; IS-00100.c; IS-00103; IS-00200.c; IS-00235.c; IS-00240.c; IS-00241.c; IS-00242.c; IS-00700.b; IS-00800.d; L-180; S-130; S-190; and S-290 certifications.

Adam resides in Clackamas County, Oregon, and brings a unique background that includes experience in news photography and over 20 years as a Real Estate Broker. He has 20 years of experience monitoring fire scanners and he has refined his skills using scanners in Oregon, Washington, Montana and Wyoming. Adam is ‘the guy in the know’ when emergencies occur in Clackamas County.

Anthony is a resident of San Mateo County with a deep-rooted interest in public safety. For several years, he has closely followed local police and fire activity through scanners, developing a strong understanding of emergency response in the region. After learning about Watch Duty through a friend, he was inspired to put his knowledge and passion to meaningful use, contributing to a mission that helps keep communities informed and safe. Anthony has been a dedicated contributor with Watch Duty for some time and is now a reporter, where his experience and commitment will continue to make a meaningful impact.

Ben Ellerbrock is a first responder turned journalist, reporting out of Los Angeles. He studied playwriting and journalism at UCLA and regularly performs comedy around the city.

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Billy has been a ham radio operator for 30 years and listening to scanners since the age of 10. He is involved with his local emergency management teams in Northern California and is now reporting for Watch Duty.

Billy holds S-00100.c; and IS-00700.b certifications.

Brendan MacGyver is a lifelong San Diegan who lives in North County and was previously in the Fire Service. He is now an airline pilot and enjoys spending his time with family, camping, skiing, and giving back to his community through Watch Duty.

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Brendan is based in King County, Washington, monitoring all of Washington. You can also find him monitoring Central & Western Montana as he has family there. He is an Assistant Fire Marshal with Eastside Fire & Rescue with 25+ years in the Fire Service.

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Bruce Suenram has worked in the field of fire protection and prevention since 1969. He retired as Deputy Chief of the Fire & Aviation Bureau of Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation in December of 2018. He administered the preparedness activities of the Bureau such as training, fire prevention, fire investigation, GIS, assessments, information technology, and equipment development. Bruce served as Montana’s State Fire Marshal (1992-1997), as chief of the Missoula Rural Fire District (1980-1992), and as the chief of the Kelseyville, CA, Fire Protection District (1974-1980). He is currently red carded as an Assistant Area Commander, Plans. He served as an Incident Commander for a Type II Incident Management Team for 8 years. 

Bruce is also qualified as a Type 1 Planning Section Chief. Bruce holds IS-00042.a; IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; ICS-300; ICS-400; IS-00700.b; and IS-00800.d certifications.

After surviving the Tubbs Fire in CA and Almeda Fire in OR, Charlie knew she could use her five years of fire monitoring experience to fill the need for immediate and accurate fire reporting in Southern Oregon. Charlie started the Jackson County Fire Watch Facebook group to keep the community updated and informed with breaking fire details and to help alleviate some of the mutual stresses and uncertainties of fire season.

Chase Wink is an undergraduate student and wildfire professional dedicated to understanding and mitigating the impacts of disasters, especially wildfires. His commitment to fire science began in 2015 when the Valley Fire forced the evacuation of his family and community in Lake County, California. Repeated evacuations in the years that followed deepened his resolve to learn how wildfires spread and how communities can better prepare for them. In 2021, Chase began publicly reporting on wildfires and public safety incidents. Eventually, through his page Chasin Fire on Facebook. He has continued his reporting via Watch Duty since 2022. Professionally, Chase serves as a Wildfire Behavior Modeler with the WIFIRE Program at the Societal Computing and Innovation Lab at the University of California, where he produces wildfire behavior models that support agencies to make real-time decisions. He is also pursuing bachelor's degrees in Economics and Fire Science while already holding an Associate of Sciences degree in Natural Sciences.

Chase holds IS-00100.c and  S-190; and S-290 certifications.

Cole West is a Watch Duty Reporter.

Corey Edwards, longtime resident of Napa Valley, has been reporting on fires since 2017. When not monitoring active fires, Corey runs Napa Valley Fire and Police page, manages a computer repair business, minds his garden and tends to Patches, the elder stateswoman of his cat posse. Corey is a founding member of the Watch Duty team.

Born and raised in Monterey, California, Dan has dedicated much of his life to public safety and emergency response. He spent two years with North Monterey County Fire before transitioning into EMS, where he’s served as an EMT, paramedic, and now Executive Director for AlphaOne Ambulance. Now near Placerville, Dan became a Watch Duty volunteer after relying heavily on the app during the Mosquito Fire. Experiencing firsthand how vital timely and accurate information is in a crisis, he felt compelled to give back and help others stay informed. With nearly 20 years in emergency services, he brings deep operational knowledge, EMS coordination experience, and a strong community-centered mindset. He’s passionate about helping people stay safe, stay calm, and stay connected when it matters most.

Dan holds an IS-00100.c certification.

Danilla Sands lives in Mendocino County and has been working in disaster related services since 2015. She started to relay fire information in 2015, but more specifically since 2017. She helps manage a community emergency information Facebook group and serves as reporter and photographer for Mendocino Action News and other news outlets as needed.

David Billstrom lives in Western North Carolina, at the epicenter of Helene’s devastation, where he hopes Watch Duty can support his community in the future. Alongside a technology career that began in Oregon and Silicon Valley, David first worked in EMS in Oregon in 1981, later joining volunteer search and rescue on Mt. Hood, and adding firefighting in 2004 in the San Juan Islands, Washington. After 15 years as a firefighter, engineer, and EMT in North Carolina, he now volunteers as a firefighter once again. A lifelong ham radio operator and 911 radio system designer, he recognized early on that Watch Duty was making a meaningful impact.

David holds IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; ICS-300; ICS-400; IS-00700.b; IS-00800.d; and S-130 certifications.

Evan Jacobs is a full time college student studying Aeronautical Science and Business Management at Rocky Mountain College in Montana. When not studying or flying, he is a volunteer firefighter/EMT. Evan is a multi-engine/instrument/commercial rated fixed wing and private rated rotary wing pilot who has volunteered his time at Watch Duty as a founding team member. He splits his time between California and Montana and enjoys hiking, camping, backpacking and skiing when he isn't building or fixing something in the garage. Evan is passionate about fire, aviation, and helping people and has aspirations to become an air tanker pilot.

Evan holds IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; IS-00700.b; IS-00800.d; L-180; S-130; and S-190 certifications.

Fran Shields has been sharing emergency information with her community in southern Oregon for many years. She joined Watch Duty in 2023.

Geoff resides in Northern Colorado and spent the first decade of his career working in federal and state land agencies before transitioning to a municipal cultural heritage organization. A stint as a volunteer firefighter, along with witnessing the Marshall Fire in 2021, sparked his interest in public safety and led to his involvement with Watch Duty; first as a Contributor and now as a Reporter. When not volunteering, he can often be found spending time with his wife and daughter at local ice cream shops, natural areas, and museums.

Geoff holds IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; IS-00700.b; IS-00800.d and IS-2200 certifications.

Grant has been living and reporting on the weather and nearby disasters in Ventura County, California since 2014. While the main focus of his website and social media page is weather information, it also carries updates on local emergencies that impact the residents of Ventura County.  Grant is also a ham radio operator and works as a broadcast engineer for a well-known national television network.

Grant holds IS-00029.a; IS-00100.c; and IS-00700.b certifications.

Jac is no stranger to reporting and documenting fires, having monitored scanner traffic and covered emergency scenes since 2019. He shares his work on Instagram at @1st_Response_Media and co-founded Critical News with his brother and friends to focus on incidents in the Las Vegas Valley. Now based along the Wasatch Front in Davis County, Utah, Jac joined Watch Duty to strengthen coverage in the region. He aspires to a career in law enforcement, motivated by a commitment to serving his community and helping those in need.

Jaimee is an Arizona native, and grew up in rural Pima County. After the back-to-back Sawmill and Mulberry Fires impacted her home in 2017, she was frustrated with the slow flow of information, particularly for residents in rural areas. She began seeking out resources to educate herself, and has been monitoring and reporting on wildfires for her friends and family ever since. In 2023, she wanted a more centralized way of sharing this information, and so she created a Facebook group dedicated to wildfire, weather, and emergency information for southeastern Arizona called SE Arizona Wildfire and Incidents (Pima, Cochise, & Santa Cruz Counties).

Jaimee holds IS-00029.a; IS-00100.c; IS-00700.b; and S-190 certifications.

Jeff is a Sonoma County native and an information technology professional with over 20 years of experience in local government and higher education technology. He has also worked as an air ambulance and 911 dispatcher and currently manages the Information Technology Division of Sonoma Public Infrastructure at the County of Sonoma. During the Sonoma County fires in 2017, Jeff recognized his unique position to quickly understand and share factual, accurate information with friends and family on Facebook. He now brings that skill set to Watch Duty as a Reporter. He is committed to helping communities stay informed and safe during times of crisis.

Jess started reporting on fires after surviving the Almeda fire that devastated Jackson County, Oregon. She found the Jackson County Firewatch group on Facebook and started contributing to the reporting there. Soon after, Charlie Moon invited her to be a moderator for the group and they have been reporting together ever since. This will be her 3rd year reporting. She is our group's resident night owl, so you will most likely see her reports late at night.

Jon lives in the Pacific Northwest but originally grew up in Michigan in a firefighting family. After moving to Washington and experiencing the 2017 wildfire outbreak across the region, he knew he wanted to contribute in some way. He discovered Watch Duty in 2022 and immediately recognized it as the perfect way to give back and help protect the area he loves.

Joseph Ziegler, a proud native of Oregon living in Roseburg. He is the owner of The Roseburg Receiver group on Facebook and serves as a vital asset for the Douglas County community, offering invaluable radio feeds and timely incident updates. Joseph is a senior applications developer in the tech industry and leverages his technical expertise by providing incident automation to inform the community quickly and accurately.

Juli is a ham radio operator, scanner listener and animal rescue volunteer, and long-time horse owner who became actively involved in her local CERT and large animal evacuation teams after volunteering to care for displaced animals during the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa. In 2020, Juli’s town of Boulder Creek was impacted by the CZU Lightning Complex fire, which strengthened her resolve to be part of the solution during wildfire events. She now lives in Carmel, California and reports on CalFire BEU/CZU events for Watch Duty.

Justin, based in Cathlamet, WA, grew up in California and was exposed to emergency services at an early age with several family members now retired from CalFire. Justin is a former 911 dispatcher and law enforcement officer and previously served on the board at Multnomah County Emergency Communications in Portland. He is currently an EMT/Firefighter and Lieutenant of EMS training with Cathlamet Fire Department.

Justin holds IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; ICS-300; ICS-400; IS-00700.b; and IS-00800.d; certifications.

Also known as Bigsurkate, she lives in a remote area of Big Sur on the South Coast. She has been covering fires, floods, road closures, and local events since 2008 on her blog. She is passionate about Big Sur and protecting it and is or has been involved in many community organizations that share that goal.

Kevin resides in Shasta County and has been a Northern California resident for most of his life. He has served as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician while attending the College of the Siskiyous Fire Academy. After moving to Humboldt County, he pursued a career in community corrections until his retirement. Kevin has been a lifelong radio enthusiast and has been listening to radio scanners since his teens. He also holds an Amateur Extra Radio License. Kevin volunteers his time as a leader for a local Cub Scout Pack.

Kevin holds a IS-00100.c certification.

Matthew has been reporting fires in Riverside County since 2017, and ran @RVCFires on Twitter. He works in the aviation industry.

Maureen Bonessa, aka MoBones, has been reporting on fires in Glenn and Tehama counties since 2015. She manages the NorCalFireWeather page on Facebook, covering fires, weather, news and other relevant information. In addition to top-notch fire reporting, she is an accomplished photographer and equestrian. Maureen lives in Red Bluff.

Michael Steinberg is a freelance videographer for Live Storms Media and a fire photographer. He started reporting on wildfires in 2021 after family was impacted by the Carr/Camp fires. Michael is based in Chico and graduated from CSU Chico, majoring in Physical Geography.

Michelle has been reporting fires in Oregon and Northern California since 2015 although she has been an avid radio scanner her whole life. Her father spent his career at CALFIRE which led to her interest and hyper awareness of fire season.

Miranda is a former USFS Wilderness Ranger and first became acquainted with wildfire during the King Fire in 2014 when she had to evacuate her ranger station. She is married to a CALFIRE Captain and is based in El Dorado County, California.

Raised in a fire service family with her father as Fire Chief and Board Chair, mother as Board Clerk and Ladies Auxiliary President, sister as volunteer firefighter and Board Director, and husband as current Fire Chief, all for the Sparks Volunteer Fire Department, Misty brings deep community commitment. With insurance industry experience and over five years as Clerk and Treasurer for the Sparks VFD, she manages accounting, HR, software, and supports the Fire Chief and Board of Directors. Since 2012, she has managed the Sparks VFD’s Facebook page, delivering reliable updates. She served as President of the Sparks Fire Ladies Auxiliary for over six years, driving fundraising and community support. As a certified Habilitation Training Specialist, Misty supports individuals with developmental disabilities, reinforcing her dedication to community safety and service.

Noah lives in the Spokane Area and volunteers with a local fire district. Noah began communicating fire info in 2011 under the moniker Spokane Fire News. Noah has served as a volunteer with Incident Management teams across the US covering fires such as Barry Point, Big Windy, Cougar Creek and others. He enjoys fire and weather photography, fishing, and working with computers.

Shannon divides her time between San Jose, California, and Pioneer in Amador County. She holds a degree in journalism from California State University, Fullerton. After working as a reporter, she transitioned into teaching while staying actively engaged in community reporting. During times of heightened urgency, she diligently monitors radio scanner activity to help keep the community informed.

Shannon holds IS-00029.a;and IS-00100.c certifications.

Shannon Mahorney lives at the base of the Marble Mountains in Siskiyou County and established Siskiyou Alerts to fill the void in local news regarding emergencies. Siskiyou Alerts is known as a great source of up-to-the-minute fire info.

Steve has 32+ years in the fire service, starting at 16 as a volunteer fireman with the Washington Fire Department in Broderick, CA. After military service and a summer as a seasonal firefighter with the California Division of Forestry (CalFIre), Steve joined the City of Lodi Fire Department, where he rose through the ranks and served in all divisions before retiring as a Division Chief in 2002. After retirement, Steve has continued to support Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service on wildland fires as a private contractor. Steve joins the Watch Duty team and is committed to bringing accurate information to the users.

Steve holds IS-00100.c; IS-00242.c; and IS-00700.b certifications.

Steven Effisimo was born and raised in the Bay Area. In 2017 he moved to the Sierra Foothills of beautiful Tuolumne County, where he began documenting first responders in 2021. He has also become a local freelance photojournalist and runs the @Tuolumnecountycode3 page on Instagram. Once he discovered Watch Duty he knew he had to become a part of the team. He is an avid Bay Area sports fan.

Sue retired in 2021 after a 15-year career as a 911 Dispatcher and Dispatch Center Manager. Living and dispatching near Estes Park, Colorado, she worked through the High Park, Cameron Peak, and East Troublesome fires, as well as the catastrophic floods of 2013. She discovered Watch Duty during a fire in New Mexico in 2024 and joined as a volunteer immediately. Sue holds FEMA IS-100.c, IS-200.c, and IS-700.b certifications. She is also a ham radio operator and a Skywarn spotter. She currently splits her time between northern Colorado and central New Mexico.

Sue holds IS-00100.c; IS-00200.c; and IS-00700.b certifications.

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Tamanee lived in the Madera County (Central Sierra) foothills for over 20 years and experienced multiple wildland fires. During the Creek Fire in 2020, she quickly learned about different resources to monitor fires, beyond just scanner traffic, but was frustrated with effectively sharing the fire information out to her immediate community. When she found out about Watch Duty, it became the perfect platform for her to assist her community in a meaningful, fast, and accurate direct way. Tamanee has relocated to Colorado and continues to report for Watch Duty.

Todd Phillips began his public safety career in 1986.  He’s retired now after serving as a 911 Dispatcher, volunteer firefighter, search & rescue team member, deputy sheriff, Parent Project® Instructor & Facilitator, and DA’s office criminal investigator.  Todd is part of the team who has ears on Santa Cruz, San Mateo, San Benito, and Monterey Counties.

Todd holds FEMA IS-29.a, IS-42.a,  IS-100.c, and IS-700.b certifications.

Yusra is based out of Western Michigan and reports throughout our coverage area, with special attention to fires in Hawaii. Yusra comes to Watch Duty with a long history of monitoring and responding to disasters. When she isn’t reporting she can be found on her yoga mat or making jewelry. 

Yusra holds IS-00100.c and IS-00700.b certifications.