AI Collision Avoidance, Connected SCBA, and the Gear FDIC 2026 Couldn't Stop Talking About
Issue 010 - May 5, 2026
Read time: 5 minutes
This week: AI-radar collision avoidance for fire apparatus operating on roadways, an SCBA that streams air pressure and movement straight to incident command, a turnout jacket redesigned around how firefighters actually move, a 10,000-lumen scene light you can run all night, a single wearable that handles gas detection AND communication, and an ambulance with seats engineered so medics never have to choose between buckling and providing care.
Pierce CAMS brings AI-radar collision avoidance to fire apparatus
Apparatus Safety
Pierce Manufacturing demonstrated its Collision Avoidance Mitigation System (CAMS) at FDIC International 2026 - an AI-powered, radar-based safety system designed to anticipate roadway collisions while crews operate on scenes. Developed by Oshkosh's Pratt Miller Motorsports division and field-tested on Pierce apparatus, CAMS uses radar, computer vision, and AI to detect and track approaching vehicles, issuing audible alerts when collision risks emerge. The system won a 2026 CES Picks Award in January and was demonstrated at FDIC booth #5537 on Pierce's Enforcer Heavy-Duty Rescue Pumper.
Firefighter roadway deaths remain a significant cause of line-of-duty fatalities, and CAMS provides proactive protection beyond passive lights and cones. Pierce announced earlier this year that digital collision avoidance technology will become standard on its custom apparatus.
The take: Lights and cones are reactive. CAMS is the first apparatus-level safety system that actively watches for the threat - race-car telemetry tech repurposed to keep your people alive on the shoulder of an interstate.
Read the full story at FireRescue1 →
MSA's G1 XR SCBA streams firefighter data straight to incident command
SCBA / Connected Safety
MSA Safety unveiled the G1 XR Edition self-contained breathing apparatus and FireGrid Incident Command API at FDIC International 2026 - the first SCBA to meet the NFPA 1970 2025 edition. The G1 XR features a redesigned breathing air regulator, enhanced soft goods (straps, lumbar pad, pouches), reduced weight, improved fit, and real-time data integration. The FireGrid API enables a secure cloud connection that shares G1 SCBA data - air pressure, movement, alarms, individual identifiers - with select incident command software partners chiefs already use for apparatus, hydrant, and team tracking.
Firefighter feedback drove the redesign: clearer communication, easier cleaning, better weight distribution. MSA showcased the platform at booth #2523.
The take: SCBA used to be a tank with straps. The G1 XR turns it into a sensor that talks. The hard part isn't the tech - it's whether your incident command software is ready to consume the stream and whether your IC is trained to act on it.
Read the full story at PR Newswire →
Globe G-XTREME PRO redesigns the turnout jacket around how firefighters actually move
PPE / Turnout Gear
Globe Manufacturing's new G-XTREME PRO jacket - a structural firefighting jacket featuring a three-panel design with mesh liner to reduce bulk while maximizing comfort and mobility - was previewed in hands-on form at FDIC 2026 and is now shipping. The jacket includes a redesigned T-collar, a wider range of fit options for diverse body types, and a mic pass-through option for wearing a portable radio beneath the jacket.
The redesign addresses two persistent firefighter complaints: excessive bulk that limits mobility, and poor fit for non-average body types. Comfort and mobility improvements directly impact operational effectiveness during long-duration incidents. Globe previewed upcoming enhancements at FDIC, including new collar closure options and expanded moisture barrier offerings.
The take: Most turnout 'innovation' is incremental. This one is a full redesign because the people wearing the gear were tired of fighting it. If your department's last bunker spec was written in 2018, it's time to look again.
Read the full story at PR Newswire →
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Streamlight's Portable Scene Light III pushes 10,000 lumens with modular swap-out
Lighting
Streamlight launched the Portable Scene Light III (PSL III) at FDIC International 2026 - a high-output waterproof portable lighting system that delivers up to 10,000 lumens. The light features 12 LEDs with wide-pattern reflectors, three output levels (10,000 lumens for 2 hours, 5,000 lumens for 4 hours, 2,500 lumens for 8 hours), a 5-in-1 modular design, swappable lithium-ion batteries, AC/DC power options, a 360-degree rotating and 180-degree pivoting light head, and wireless remote control with 75-foot range and multi-light sync. The tripod extends to 92 inches with reversible feet (spiked for soft terrain, flat for hard surfaces). The system is wind-resistant to 40 mph and IPX7 waterproof.
MSRP is $1,759 for the system with tripod, $1,014 for the light only, both backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
The take: Scene lighting failures put firefighters at risk during night operations. 10,000 lumens is a real jump, modular design means faster setup and tear-down, and wireless control lets you adjust the beam from a safe distance. The price tag isn't trivial - but neither is replacing a generator-powered light tower every five years.
Read the full story at Soldier Systems →
Blackline Safety's G8 wearable replaces multiple devices on hazmat teams
Health & Safety / Gas Detection
Blackline Safety's G8 wearable gas detector combines gas detection and real-time communication in one device, streaming live data directly to the cloud. The intrinsically safe wearable pairs with EXO 8 Gamma area monitors for connected operations from individual responder all the way to command. The G8 began shipping in March 2026 and is now in use by more than 500 fire and hazmat departments globally - Blackline is reporting 42 percent customer growth in fire and hazmat in the past year alone.
Real deployments cited at FDIC included Burnaby Fire Department's response to a refinery incident, Chattanooga Fire's durability testing, and Italian Fire Brigade's use during 2026 Winter Olympics security operations.
The take: One belt loop instead of three. For interior teams and hazmat ops, every device you eliminate is one less thing to fail, lose, or fumble in zero visibility. The cloud-streaming piece is what changes the game for your IC.
Read the full story at The ABJ →
Demers FXP 174 ambulance lets medics buckle up AND treat the patient
EMS / Apparatus
Demers Ambulances debuted its award-winning FXP 174 Type I ambulance at FDIC 2026 - the only ambulance to win the 2025 EMS World Innovation Award. The standout feature is the patented FX Action Seat: a seat positioned near the stretcher that allows paramedics to remain safely buckled while maintaining full patient and equipment access. Ergonomic design stabilizes responders using their legs, reducing fatigue and freeing hands. The seats are tested to 26G acceleration and feature integrated belt sensors for driver awareness.
The FXP 174 also offers a door-forward design, expanded workspace, enhanced lighting patterns, increased window visibility, taller rear doors, and a clinically driven interior layout. Demers displayed the unit at FDIC booth #5574 with a hands-on FX Action Seat demo.
The take: EMS line-of-duty injuries from unsecured movement in the patient compartment are an epidemic that nobody talks about. The FX Action Seat solves the 'buckle or provide care' dilemma that every medic has lived with. If your fleet is up for replacement, this should be on the bid sheet.
Read the full story at EMS1 →
TOOL SPOTLIGHT
FireGrid Open API (developer access)
MSA Safety's FireGrid Incident Command API gives departments a documented, secure way to pipe real-time SCBA telemetry into the incident command software they already run. The developer documentation and integration partner list are public - meaning a department can audit what data flows where, what platforms support it today, and what an integration would cost their CAD or IC vendor before signing a P.O. on new hardware.
This matters because the value of cloud-connected SCBA depends entirely on whether your IC can see the stream. Read the API docs first. Pick the SCBA second.
Cost: Free (developer documentation; SCBA hardware sold separately)
Platform: Cloud API; integration partners listed at MSA
Review the FireGrid API docs
WHAT WE'RE WATCHING
TFT CrewProtect HVAC filtration heads into apparatus cabs - Task Force Tips' integrated air decontamination system targets the three biggest cab contaminants (VOCs, particulates, diesel exhaust) and is now showing up on apparatus builds. If your next spec doesn't include cab air filtration, this is the conversation to start having with your dealer.
Rosenbauer's RTE robot pairs with battery extinguishing systems for EV fires - The modular tracked robot platform is being shown alongside Rosenbauer's RFC Battery Extinguishing System. As lithium-ion fires keep climbing in residential and parking-structure incidents, expect to see more departments evaluating remote-operated platforms before sending crews into thermal-runaway environments.
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