A Calgary safety technology company is helping protect one of the world’s largest public gatherings.
Blackline Safety has been selected by Italian emergency responders to deploy its connected gas and radiation detection systems across venues for the 2026 Winter Olympics in the Milan-Cortina region, where millions of athletes, staff, and spectators are expected to gather.
The equipment is being used by a specialized hazardous-materials response unit within the Belluno Provincial Fire Brigade, which is responsible for identifying nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological threats before and during events. The team is conducting venue sweeps prior to opening and continuously monitoring crowds and surrounding areas once competitions are underway.
Blackline’s wearable detectors and area monitors provide real-time alerts if dangerous gases or radioactive materials are detected, allowing responders to isolate areas and intervene immediately — a capability increasingly important for large international events where invisible threats pose significant risk.
For Calgary-based Blackline, the deployment represents one of the most complex civilian safety environments its technology operates in.
“The Olympic Games represent one of the most challenging public safety environments in the world, making pre-event sweeps and active monitoring critical,” said Cody Slater, CEO and Chair of Blackline Safety. “Our real-time connected technology is designed to enhance personnel and public safety and ultimately save lives.”
Fire crews are using the systems both inside competition venues and throughout surrounding public areas and athlete facilities. The devices continuously transmit data to monitoring teams, enabling faster decision-making and coordinated emergency response if a hazard is detected.
The deployment was carried out in partnership with Italy-based Safety Work Services (SWS), which supplied and integrated the equipment for the brigade.
While Blackline Safety’s technology is widely used in industrial sectors such as energy and manufacturing, international public-event security represents a growing application. The Olympics deployment highlights how Calgary-built safety technology — originally developed for hazardous workplaces — is increasingly being adopted to protect large civilian environments worldwide.
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