Episode 234: Innovation in Identifying Wildfires: Insights from Be The Change Analytics with John Krasowski

Episode notes

What issues are Be The Change Analytics working to solve?

Hello Smart Firefighting Community!

Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy!

In this episode:

How is Be The Change Analytics reducing wildfire risks and preserving ecosystems?

How does rapid response protect first responders and the environment?

Why are collaboration and unity the keys to solving societal and environmental challenges?

Learn from John Krasowski - the President and Founding Partner of Be The Change Analytics .

John highlights the importance of reducing risks for wildfire first responders and preserving ecosystems. He discusses his participation in the XPRIZE competition and the need for innovative wildfire detection methods.

John also shares the motivation behind starting Be The Change Analytics, which tackles issues like human trafficking and water quality, emphasizing unity and collaboration for positive societal and environmental change.

So take a listen to hear what he has to share!

Head to www.smartfirefighting.com to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is, or review our curated resources!

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Chapters

1. 0:00 Kevin's intro at the FDIC 2024 XPRIZE booth
2. 0:57 John's XPRIZE journey and team
3. 2:04 Why Be The Change Analytics started
4. 5:40 Rethinking sustainability
5. 6:38 Giving back to the earth and water scarcity
6. 10:13 Doughnut economics
7. 11:02 Stakeholders: communities, children and legislators
8. 14:45 Lake Tahoe and Keep Tahoe Blue
9. 16:14 How to get in touch
10. 18:56 Outro

Questions answered in this episode

What is the current method for detecting wildfires and why does it need improvement?

John Krasowski says wildfires are currently identified by someone in the forest who calls 911, and dispatch has to send someone out. He calls this the Stone Age of detection. His team wants eyes in the air to identify wildfires earlier and initiate rapid response, because minimizing suppression time reduces destruction.

Hear it at 1:08

How many wildfires were reported last year according to John Krasowski?

John Krasowski says 55,000 wildfires were reported last year alone. He argues that with those numbers, technology and innovation are needed to address the spike.

Hear it at 2:17

Who is on the Be The Change Analytics team for the XPRIZE competition?

John Krasowski mentions Timothy Reed, who worked on the Hubble telescope and the optic systems for the James Webb telescope. Reed is helping the team identify wildfires in a more innovative way.

Hear it at 1:08

Why did John Krasowski originally start Be The Change Analytics?

John Krasowski started Be The Change Analytics in 2016 after a water quality case at his apartment complex in Portland, Oregon. The complex had galvanized pipes and lead contamination around the time of the Flint, Michigan crisis. He organized a tenant union to fight the property management company that was trying to suppress evidence.

Hear it at 2:17

How can people get involved with Be The Change Analytics?

John Krasowski says the organization is recruiting volunteers and full-time positions. People can reach out through social media at BTC Analytics or visit the website consultbtc.com.

Hear it at 16:22

Transcript

Machine transcript of the published audio. Names may be misspelled and some sections are missing.

Ep 234 transcript

Innovation in Identifying Wildfires: Insights from Be The Change Analytics with John Krasowski

Speakers: Kevin Sofen, John Krasowski

Source: Whisper medium.en machine transcription of the published Podbean audio (no original transcript found in Drive), lightly cleaned. Speakers were separated by voice clustering and then checked and assigned by hand at every speaker change. Gaps where the model returned no usable text are marked [inaudible m:ss].

[0:00] Kevin Sofen: Welcome to our Smart Firefighting podcast miniseries hosted at FDIC 2024. You will hear some stories from XPRIZE, AT&T FirstNet, and some other first responders. There are some great insights on wildfire technologies, connectivity during first responder operations, health and wellness, and much more. Enjoy the show. You're live here at the FDIC show floor at the Esri booth with the XPRIZE teams and sitting alongside the first team that I'm interviewing here, John Krzyzowski, say it right. You nailed it. With Be The Change Analytics. John, how are you doing?

[0:39] John Krasowski: You know, I'm just excited to be here. Thank you for the opportunity to sit down with you. It's such an honor to be able to be part of this platform, be a part of this solution and to work together. I'm just really passionate about bringing some change, some innovation and making sure we reduce the risk to wildfire, first responders, and that we ensure the preservation of our ecosystem.

[0:57] Kevin Sofen: So you were one of the 20 competitors within the XPRIZE competition?

[1:01] John Krasowski: Yeah, I was.

[1:02] Kevin Sofen: And how did you find out about it? How did you apply? What was that like? And tell me about the journey of getting here today.

[1:08] John Krasowski: You know, it was just an ever-evolving journey, to be honest with you. Everything that we really needed just came to us, and we're just very happy to be here. I have to mention our team. We wouldn't be here without our leading experts. We were able to bring on some amazing talent, a gentleman named Timothy Reed. He worked on the Hubble telescope. He worked on the optic systems for the James Webb telescope. And so one way that we're going to solve this problem is identifying wildfires in a more innovative way because right now we're in the Stone Age. A wildfire is identified by someone who is in the forest and then calls in to 911 and they have to dispatch someone out. If we have eyes in the air and we can identify the wildfires, we can initiate rapid response to suppress the fire because ultimately our job is to minimize the amount of time it takes in order to suppress a fire. The greater the time, the greater the destruction and it can become extremely uncontrollable at that time.

[2:04] Kevin Sofen: And obviously this XPRIZE initiative is aligned with ending destructive wildfires and you're part of this initiative. Be The Change Analytics. Why did you start it and what was the impetus of the creation of it?

[2:17] John Krasowski: Yeah, Be The Change Analytics was an idea that I had back in 2016. I was living in Portland, Oregon. At that time, I was a data analyst. I had a water quality case at our apartment complex. It was an apartment complex with 126 homes. And we had galvanized pipes, lead contamination. It was around the same time as Flint, Michigan. And I wanted to start up an organization to address that. so we organized a tenant union, started to fight back with the property management company that was trying to suppress the evidence and not take accountability for it. So that's how Be The Change Analytics started. We've been in quite a few different industries combating human trafficking, collecting data on hubs and locations where human trafficking occurs the most. Obviously, international airports are a high risk for individuals to be trafficked. So we've worked on quite a few humanitarian issues but why we got into the wildfire is since an early age I feel like I've always been impacted by wildfires and they've just increased in the severity and the destruction. I live in California and we dealt with the Paradise fire and we dealt with the Caldar fire. I believe almost every summer there are fires going on in California and statistically speaking, there was 55,000 wildfires reported just last year alone, 55,000. And if we're gonna deal with those type of numbers, we have to innovate and create technology in order to address that spike in the number of wildfires. The other variable that I want to discuss is I'm a big proponent of conservation of our wilderness. And with what's going on with climate change, trees and agriculture are our lungs. They purify our air. They take in the CO2, the carbon dioxide, and give us oxygen. And if we're going to start restoring our ecosystem, we really have to protect the vegetation in our ecosystem in order to have that clean air. Because right now, we're all driving vehicles that emit that. And over the last 80 years, we've all been driving these carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide vehicles, there's no reason why we can't find alternative solutions to transportation, to preservation, and ultimately restoration to our planet. My goal is not to leave this planet. My goal is to protect it and save it. And I know I can't do it by myself. We have to do it as a collective body of individuals. And that's one thing that I'm really excited about XPRIZE is it's a contest, but yet it's a solid collaboration. It's an opportunity to bring people from all around the world in order to drive innovation, work together and solve these problems. And that's one thing I believe that we need the most today is our ability to work together, our ability to unify and cohesively work with a sense of humility and trust. And I think that's one thing that's lacking in our society today is the amount of division, the amount of fear, the amount of destruction that we constantly perpetrate, and I believe if we can change those principles, we can live in a more harmonious and peaceful society. And that's my ultimate goal with all of these objectives is to really bring some peace and harmony back to our world rather than the wars and the famine and the poverty. I believe we can solve these problems, but we can only solve them if we work together.

[5:40] Kevin Sofen: Man, a lot in there that I'd love to double click into, but particularly one thing is one of my other roles that I wear is I'm an adjunct professor at DePaul University, and I teach a class called Developing Sustainable Strategies, and we do a lot where we talk about sense making, small data, biomimicry, nature-based solutions, but the first article that I have my students read is this article about rethinking sustainability. And a lot of times, you know, we have this human mindset that we can out-engineer our way into any problem. We can find a way that humans can get to the moon and we can conquer this earth. It's a lot of actually looking at, not necessarily looking at the earth as this resource to be extracted, but finding a way and rethinking the way that we actually work with the resources. We're working in kind of that whole donor economics, regenerative economics, regenerative all things kind of circular economy, but the idea of not looking, not kind of being in at war with the earth, but finding ways that we are extracting, giving back and living in harmony with the earth. What are your thoughts on that?

[6:38] John Krasowski: Spot on so many regards, you know, you nailed it. We're to a point where we want to extract the earth's resources. We're really, when I say we, I want to be really specific. A lot of organizations attempt to profit from the earth, right? And I believe that we can still get what we need from the earth and still give back to the earth. I believe that right now we're in a unilateral relationship with the earth. We take from the earth, but we don't give back to the earth. And if we do give back, we give back in a way that creates negative externalities. It creates pollution. It creates problems that would not normally be there if we just let nature be nature. And one thing that I'm a solid proponent about is when we start to outlaw nature, we create problems that wouldn't normally be there. And when I say outlawing nature, I'm talking about the policies that are in place that don't protect our ecosystem. And this is a very deep and large problem that we have. It's very complex in nature. There are a lot of individuals who have motivations that are really contrary to the conservation principles. And I truly believe that if we're gonna have any change and lasting change. It has to come from public policy, it has to come from our Congress that enacts policies that will enable our ecosystem to a heal, but also to feed people, to give people clean water. And I'll come back to XPRIZE has two other competitions that they just launched. One of them is water scarcity and the other is healthspan. And I want to focus on the water scarcity. You know that our earth is mainly water. If we think about in terms of the ocean, you 80, 85% of water. However, New Mexico just ran out of water. They're having to barrel water. The amount of drinkable water is in very few supply. And I'm not just talking about the United States. The United States is definitely in a conundrum right now. But if you look at third world countries, they don't have drinkable water. And for me, I believe that if we give our people the basic necessities in order to live and survive. And when I say basic necessities, I'm talking about food, talking about water, I'm talking about shelter. If you give people those three necessities, I believe people are naturally good. I believe though, when you restrict the ability and access of those resources, people become monsters. And there was a psychological study done back in the 80s where they took rats and they gave them all the food water that they needed and shelter and then they slowly removed the water, they removed the food and they crammed everybody into a smaller space and the rats started to eat one another. And I truly believe that if we're really gonna solve the wars, the famine, the destruction that our society has perpetrated for so many years, we first have to A. find out why they're doing it and what I believe is many wars are fought over for land, for resources and that's drive up to scarcity and economically speaking when individuals run into a the idea of scarcity they act irrational they act out of fear and when we act out of fear we don't make conscious good decisions. And so I believe if we're gonna eradicate the fear within our society, you know, giving them the resources in order to, you know, take care of themselves, we'll eradicate a lot of those irrational decisions. And so that can create some lasting peace.

[10:13] Kevin Sofen: Yeah, and the Kate Raworth donut economics concept is that, you know, she draws out this donut and inside the donut hole is not enough. We're not providing enough for humankind in terms of lack of water, lack of food, lack of housing. You ultimately don't want to be in that circle. But inside the donut, it's the adequate amount, the appropriate amount of resources needed for human consumption, human involvement, and also kind of harmony with Earth. Outside the donut is when you're looking at ocean acidification, climate change, coral reef destruction. So it is kind of trying to find this balance with Earth and not looking again at Earth as this one way unilateral relationship, but ultimately finding harmony. So I totally love it. I feel like we could have a separate podcast, just go deep into this. We probably should. I want to pull it back for a second into how, who are the different stakeholders that utilize Be The Change Analytics and sort of how are you helping these specific stakeholders?

[11:02] John Krasowski: Yeah, great question. You know, where Be The Change is at right now is we're really in the startup phase. And where we really identify the stakeholders is first, I believe that if we can get community involvement into these solutions, I believe there's a lot of power in the masses. if we can bring our community members in first and educate them, especially the children, if we can educate our children right now, you know, our children are our future generation. And I believe that we will have a much better fighting chance to solve these problems if our children are more educated and properly educated with preservation of our ecosystem and conservation of our ecosystem. So when I say stakeholders, children, because they're our future. And eventually, you know, they will take over. And if they take over and they have the proper tools and knowledge, I believe that we will have a better chance to create a better future. The other stakeholders, I would say, are our legislators, our congressmen, our city council members, local government agencies, you know. I believe that if we're really going to implement serious change, we have to start at the local level. We have to start at the grassroots. We have to implement change at our hometowns. And then we can broaden out into larger global impacts. But I believe, you know, be the change really derived out of the simple notion that we have to change, you, me, government agencies, we have to be the change in the world that we want to see. And it goes back to that Michael Jackson song. It goes back to accountability, responsibility. And I want to touch a little bit about responsibility. And when I took on this endeavor, you know, there were many obstacles I ran into my way. How am I going to overcome these obstacles? And one thing I just kept telling myself is it's my responsibility. It's my responsibility. And that's one thing that I think we're in a dangerous mindset is the complacency of individuals is they don't think that they can make an impact. You know, we talk about voting rights, most people don't vote because they don't feel like their vote counts. And one thing that I believe is if we can instill a sense of confidence and a sense of impact within our community members, they can be the change and they can implement change because their voice does matter, their actions do matter. And every time that you litter, every time you fill up at the gas station, that has an impact. It sends a message to our society. And if we can change that behavior one person at a time, then we can have lasting change. But if I'm just sitting here talking about what needs to happen, but no one else really desires that, then it's all for naught. And so that's ultimately my ultimate solution for Be The Change Analytics, is I encourage and I emphasize and I hope I motivate you to be the change because your choice is better, and your choices are more impactful than a vote because they're longer lasting. And so I encourage you all to take up your stance, to take up your responsibility, your accountability, and stop making passive decisions and start getting involved. We need you to be involved. We need more unity, we need more humility, we need more understanding. And I think one of the greatest loss marks that we have is the ability to work together, teamwork. because I believe everyone is so fixated on, they can look at two things that you disagree on and miss 80 things that you do agree on. And I would rather focus on the 80 that we do agree on and work towards a resolution for our disagreements. I believe that the toxicity of our world can be solved with compassion and understanding. And I believe that our ultimate solution is coming together as a people in order to first identify a problem, implement a solution and then change our behavior because it's not too late to save our world. but we are on the cusp of destruction and we need to change.

[14:45] Kevin Sofen: Well said, man. I couldn't agree anymore. And I do think we need to chop it up a bit more in a different and later podcast. Absolutely. The final thing I'll be remiss asking for is you're in South Lake Tahoe, huh?

[14:54] John Krasowski: Yes, sir.

[14:55] Kevin Sofen: Tahoe is just the most beautiful lake in the world. Best plot.

[14:58] John Krasowski: Hands down, just the vibes there. I mean, you get the lake, then you get the mountains. You know, I can go ski and snowboard this spring and then 20 minutes down from the gondola, I'm in the lake paddle boarding. You know, there's no place in the world like it. The amount of conservation that goes on there, you know, the TRPA, how they do such an amazing job of preserving the water system. You know, Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. We have one of the cleanest water sources in the world. I moved there because of how beautiful the ecosystem is, but also the policies that are in place that preserve the ecosystem. And I believe that Lake Tahoe is an amazing place, a model study on how to preserve our ecosystem and live in harmonious state with them.

[15:45] Kevin Sofen: It's actually such a good model that I work for my, I'm on the board of directors for my lake association in Wisconsin, called Elkhart Lake, and we were 100% ripped off Keep Tahoe Blue, and we do Keep Elkhart Blue, and it's just like a fundraising initiative, and Keep Tahoe Blue said it was legit because it's a not-for-profit supporting lake initiatives.

[16:02] John Krasowski: I love it, I love it. If we can have more implementation like that, I believe we'll have a fighting chance. Take what you need from Lake Tahoe and replicate it. I believe that's when we can have a serious change. So I'm so happy to hear that.

[16:14] Kevin Sofen: John, you're doing good stuff. I'm excited to follow up with Be The Change Analytics as it evolves and XPRIZE. And if people want to get in touch or follow more, what's the best way for them to do that?

[16:22] John Krasowski: Yeah, guys, you know, we're on social media, just BTC Analytics. We also have a website, consultbtc.com. That's consultbravotangocharlie.com. We have the ability for you to reach out directly to us if you have any questions, comments. We're also recruiting right now. So if you want to be involved in this process, we are accepting volunteers. We are accepting full-time positions because we have a lot of momentum right now. And we really want to execute and utilize that momentum. And one thing that we're really passionate about is what XPRIZE does is they enable us to collaborate on a global scale. And so if you have a passion for working on global projects, implementing global solutions, we encourage you to reach out to us. We encourage you to research XPRIZE. It's an amazing foundation with a really innovative incentive program that gives you the resources, gives you the momentum, gives you the voice in order to be that change. And so if you want to be that change, we encourage you to reach out to us. We encourage you to reach out to XPRIZE and get involved. I want to emphasize the importance of getting involved. Don't be passive anymore. Get off your couches, turn off that TV, get out into some nature. Remember where you come from. Remember the beauty of our ecosystem. Remember the beauty of your brothers, your sisters, your neighbor, embrace one another and come to some redemption, come back to some harmonious state. Because like I said, we can't do this alone. The bigger the problem, the bigger the team. And we are in desperate times right now. And if we can come together and stop the fear and the division and come together under a commonality of goodness and purpose, then I believe we have a fighting chance. But get off those couches, turn off those TVs, get into some nature, get into that water, summer's right around the corner. Remember being a child, get on your bicycle, stop driving your cars, ride your bikes to work. Those little things will make a dent, not just for you, but for your neighbors, for your colleagues, for your friends. You are an example to others, and I hope you choose to realize that power that your example sets a precedence for others and for your children. And if you can be a better example, redemption is such a powerful thing that it doesn't matter where you come from, It doesn't matter the choice that you made in the past. What matters is the choice you make in the future. And we can let go of what we were in order to bring us what we can become. And so I'm an advocate of that. I believe in you. I believe that we can do this together, but we can't do it alone. And so get involved. Just get involved people.

[18:50] Kevin Sofen: Well said, brother. John, till next time, man. It was a pleasure talking with you.

[18:54] John Krasowski: Absolute pleasure. Thank you for your time.

[18:56] Kevin Sofen: Thank you. Thank you so much for listening to the Smart Firefighting podcast today. If you enjoyed what you heard and got any value, Please drop us a rating, leave us a comment, or reach out to us on social media. Have a great day, and together, we can advance the future of smart firefighting.