Disheartened by combating wildfires in L.A., he made a commitment to create improved tools

Were it not for wildfires, Rupen Dajee might never have pursued graduate studies.

They’re a regular phenomenon in his native California, where he worked as a firefighter-paramedic prior to attending Harvard Kennedy School and MIT’s Sloan School of Management to undertake a dual M.P.A./M.B.A. degree program. He is set to graduate from the Kennedy School this week.

Post-college, Dajee obtained a license as an emergency medical technician, working on an ambulance in Los Angeles in an area formerly dubbed South Central. What began as an enjoyable side gig soon morphed into a fervor. Hence, he enrolled in paramedic school and trained as a firefighter, joining a small rural fire brigade in the mountains beyond the city.

There, Dajee encountered the technological disparities that rural emergency responders like firefighters must overcome merely to execute an already daunting job.

“I would get dispatched to wildfires during the summers and face communication challenges,” he recounted. “It’s a really challenging technological landscape to navigate, and thus, I pondered, ‘What can I do to assist with that?’”

Dajee launched a tech initiative named Twisted Kelp that crafts tools to tackle some of the on-site hurdles encountered in wildland firefighting, emergency services, and disaster management.

The infrastructure necessary for emergency communication may falter under severe circumstances or may be inadequate for the expansive distances and challenging rural landscapes, compelling firefighters to make tough decisions.

“You have to start considering, ‘Do we send individuals there, or do we refrain because we cannot ensure proper communication? Is that a critical location we still need to address even if we lack coverage?’ There can be voids where technology can assist in addressing those issues, enabling enhanced capabilities.”

The firm generates satellite tracking and communication solutions with an online platform that overlays fire maps and infrared data, allowing firefighters to observe where personnel and equipment are deployed or required. Another offering facilitates emergency radio service utilizing Internet Protocol packets. The company has also created a digital version of a compact booklet called the Incident Response Pocket Guide, which firefighters often carry for quick reference on various scenarios.

Due to the fact that technological advancements in the public sector tend to have longer timelines and can influence a much wider scale than in the private sector, Dajee acknowledged it would require more than an M.B.A. to make his enterprise truly impactful. The emphasis on leadership and large-scale problem-solving at the Kennedy School, along with Sloan’s focus on principled business innovation, motivated him, he shared.

“Leadership and management shouldn’t merely focus on maximizing gross revenue,” Dajee noted. “It’s about the individuals, their context, and the environment,” in addition to “striving to expand the limits of what is achievable and the positive influence that can be generated through business.”

Following Commencement, Dajee plans to return to L.A., where he spent three weeks in January combating the destructive wildfire in the Pacific Palisades, a region he had resided near for many years.

“I was familiar with almost every street where the fires were active and had traversed those streets for the better part of a decade,” Dajee expressed. “It was extremely surreal seeing these familiar places, these homes that I had often passed, reduced to ashes.”

Dajee voiced immense gratitude for the chance to study at Harvard and MIT, noting that very few of his colleagues in emergency services have opted for graduate education. Most possess a “profound passion” for their roles but grapple with systemic challenges confronting emergency healthcare and rural services in the U.S., he noted.

“It’s crucial that their efforts are acknowledged because they risk their lives every day under the harshest conditions to ensure the safety of others, often with long-term repercussions that are inadequately supported,” he stated. “And while it’s commendable that everyone expresses gratitude to first responders when needed, it’s equally vital to remember that the work continues behind the scenes even when they are not visible.”