For those of you who are wondering what Wildfire App is all about, this is a mobile app that delivers a real-time notification to the app users in case of an emergency situation taking place nearby. With the app, a user can easily inform others who are available within the vicinity or on the app and send messages to the app community when they are witnessing a crime or some other disastrous incident.
Wildfire App Origins
It all started with Hriday Kemburu, the CEO & Founder of the Wildfire app itself. One night, when Mr. Kemburu was coming back, he encountered two individuals who were wearing a ski mask emerging from a nearby brush. These individuals tried to mug Mr. Kemburu but luckily Mr. Kemburu dodged these individuals and successfully escaped the situation. He went back home and immediately notified the cops regarding the incident. Moreover, to keep others safe, he also posted the issue on different social media platforms including his own student group on Facebook.
As a result, many students went through his post and couldn’t stop thanking him for informing them. By experiencing this gratitude, he felt as if he was responsible for creating a platform that can allow these students to safely commute. If only a warning could be sent on a platform beforehand then it can save the lives of many who are commuting within the vicinity which makes the Wildfire app very unique and interesting. The right warning issued at the right time is just about everything that can save the lives of many individuals who will be interconnected with each other through the app.
How Does the Wildfire App Work?
The best explanation about how the Wildfire App works come from Mr. Kemburu himself.
“When an emergency situation happens near you, how do you hear about it? Many times people go hours, days, or don’t even hear about incidents that have occurred nearby, whether it’s a mugging, a fire, or a shooting nearby, there aren’t any effective ways of notifying your local community, friends and family, and local police in real-time.”
So let’s say that you’re an individual who is taking a walk to a nearby local grocery store and you suddenly witness that a fire broke out at one of the apartments. Now, you take out your phone and tried calling the cops but the signals are jammed; however, the Wifi at the grocery store which you were visiting is still working. You want to inform everyone about the fire so what is the best course of action which you can take to inform all the people living within the vicinity you’re present at the moment?
By sharing it Live on Facebook, you may reach a handful number of people who are available in your friend’s list or a public Facebook group. But what about all those who aren’t quite popularly using that group or a platform such as Facebook itself. The best course of action which you can take here is to use the Wildfire app. By signing into your app, you can visit the Wildfire menu and select to post a live event. In your case, it will be the fire that broke out in a nearby apartment. Just record that information and send it to live on the Wildfire app which will automatically inform everybody else through a notification. In this way, you can inform more people at a very less amount of time about the incident.
In Which Scenarios Do the Wildfire App Works Best
This mobile app development company in Texas sends trending posts out to people who are located nearby within a particular vicinity. Some of the best usage examples of the Wildfire App are:
- For Safety – You can send out alerts on safety to all the students within a mile radius of your location.
- Celebrity Sightings – If you see a celebrity, you can inform thousands of students who are using the app.
- Protests – You can send an update on a protest taking place nearby before any other social platform.
- Class Cancelled – If there is a safety hazard concern, then you can voice it to cancel your classes.
So here are some of the scenarios in which the app can work proficiently for people who have it.
How to Sign-Up on the Wildfire App?
The app is currently available on iPhone and Android stores. To make use of the app, you can simply search it up on the following stores by typing in “WildFire” in the search section.
Once you find the app, download it on your device and access it. Sign-Up on the app using your phone’s ID. For Apple phones, it will be your Apple ID and for Android phones, it will be your Google ID.
Who Can Post on the WildFire App?
Everybody who is interconnected through the app will be able to send alerts to each other based on their locations from the Wildfire app menu. The Wildfire app has an actively growing community so one post on the app can go to all those who are accessing the Wildfire app within a mile radius of your location. The Wildfire app will automatically send a notification to all such devices which have the app pre-installed to share info.
What Happens When You Log Into the Wildfire App?
The interface of the app is very simple and easy to use for the normal audience. It will initially take you to the Wildfire app menu. If you’re wondering you might’ve to find yourself trapped in exploring variable complicated functions before getting acquainted then rest easy. There is a Facebook login feature which makes sure that you’re an authentic person with a social media profile of your own. It also allows users to come in contact with mutual friends which is sort of an added benefit of using the Wildfire app.
So when you log into the platform as a user, you will be directed to a list of incidents that will appear on your app interface screen. You can scroll-down the interface just as you do to check live feeds. The app functions on the crowd-sourcing pattern where it pulls up information from around the community as well as the local newspapers and the police department of your county. You will find incidents taking place around your location in either a post format or a pinned location on the map.
What is the WildFire App Doing During the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak?
Coronavirus is affecting the entire world. It has taken more than 30,000 lives in Europe alone which is a great catastrophe after the World War II outbreak. The Coronavirus outbreak has definitely shown a great impact on the usage of the WildFire app on both, global as well as national levels.
There are thousands of different students around the world who are actively using the app to provide information about the new coronavirus cases which are emerging in various parts of the world.
An app like Wildfire is a great source as it helps spread the message in a fast and effective way. In the wake of assisting people effectively, the developers have added a separate tab dedicated to Coronavirus. The tab contains all the verified news alerts regarding the Pandemic outbreak. In such challenging times, the community can really help in making the best use of the digital app to grow.
About the Wildfire Team
The Wildfire team is made up of four seniors who are currently located at the UC Berkley. The two pioneers who are tasked with the development are Jay Patel and Tim Hyon who are working as Technology lead of the app. Whereas Vinay Ramesh is actively performing his duties as the group’s Business Lead. It was initiated back in 2015 and according to Kemburu their agenda is,
“Our goal is to be the go-to safety app, whether it’s your home, workplace, or a place you’re just visiting, you can use Wildfire to be informed about any incidents happening around you.”
The Wildfire app is absolutely free to use. As far as the monetization of the app is concerned, they are trying to search up a way to monetize the app in such a way that it doesn’t crossover the functionality of the app. The team is also searching for effective funding so they can work on expanding the app.
So here’s just about everything you need to know about the WildFire app.
Have you tried the app anytime soon? If not, now is the time to take the major leap and explore it.