Calgary-Born Innovation EXO 8 Rated a ‘Game-Changer’ for High-Stakes Firefighting

A Calgary-made innovation for worker safety has been named a 2025 Firehouse Innovation Award winner.

Blackline Safety’s EXO 8 “sets a new standard as the only area monitor that detects eight different gases and gamma radiation in a single, rugged, portable device,” according to the reviewers from Firehouse, a media platform targeting the firefighting industry.

The EXO 8 “constantly scans for danger across wide zones, unlike personal detectors, and can be used for industrial or transportation incidents and radiological threats at large gatherings,” the Firehouse analysis notes, concluding that the device’s “unique combination of multi-gas detection, cloud integration, and extreme battery longevity makes it a game-changer for firefighters who operate in high-stakes environments.”

Cody Slater, chief executive officer of Blackline, is proud of the honour, but admits his company is no stranger to accolades.

The Alberta firm has been recognized this year by the Red Dot Design Awards, the Préventica Paris Innovation Awards, the Occupational Health & Safety awards, and the OH&S Industrial Hygiene Awards.

“Earning our eighth award this year is a powerful testament to EXO 8’s impact,” stated Slater, who says Blackline’s product lineup is “redefining what teams expect from area monitoring, connecting responders and industrial crews to the critical data they need to make faster, safer decisions when it matters most.”

With customers in more than 70 countries, Blackline Safety has reported 300 billion data-points and initiated eight million emergency alerts.

The Canadian company recently appointed Vasi Philomin, Executive Vice President of Data and AI at Siemens and the creator of Amazon Bedrock, to its Board of Directors.

The move followed the expansion of Backline’s in-house quality assurance program in Calgary as well as its first purchase order from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

“Firefighters and first responders put everything on the line to protect others,” Slater said. “At Blackline, we’re driven by the belief that they deserve that same level of protection in return.”