Belluno fire brigade deploys gas & radiation monitors

The Belluno Provincial Fire Brigade has deployed connected gas and radiation detection equipment from Canadian supplier Blackline Safety as part of safety preparations for the Winter Olympics in northern Italy.

The brigade has assigned the devices to a specialist unit trained to respond to incidents involving nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological risks. The unit conducts checks at sports venues across the Milan-Cortina region and carries out monitoring during live events.

Officials will use the equipment to sweep venues before the public enters and to monitor conditions during competitions and related activities. The focus is on hazards that are difficult to detect without instruments, including toxic gases, volatile organic compounds and radioactive sources.

Equipment rollout

The deployment includes 40 Blackline G7c wearable gas detectors and six EXO 8 area monitors. Three of the area monitors include gamma radiation detection.

The G7c is a wearable device for personal monitoring. It tracks a range of toxic gases and VOCs and can be carried or worn by crew members during operations.

The EXO 8 is a fixed or portable monitor designed for area coverage. Units can be positioned at venues and around perimeters during searches and event operations.

Blackline describes the systems as connected devices that transmit readings in real time. This setup supports operations that need visibility across multiple locations and rapid escalation when readings indicate a hazard.

Venue checks

The specialist unit is responsible for screening venues before spectators enter. Crews check for contaminants before doors open and can restrict access to areas if monitoring indicates a potential hazard.

The brigade also plans to use the wearable detectors inside arenas during competitions. Blackline says crews will also wear them outdoors in surrounding streets and in the Olympic village.

The aim is to provide early warning of hazardous conditions and give incident commanders clearer information during an emergency. The monitoring can also support decisions on cordons and evacuation routes during complex public events.

Organisational context

The Belluno Provincial Fire Brigade is part of the Fire Department of Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige. That department sits within Italy's National Fire, Public Rescue and Civil Defence Corps, known in Italian as Dipartimento dei Vigili del Fuoco, del Soccorso Pubblico e della Difesa Civile.

The Winter Olympics draw large crowds across multiple sites, creating a broad security and safety footprint. Public safety planning often combines visible measures such as access control with less visible monitoring for chemical and radiological threats.

Specialist teams typically work alongside other emergency services and security bodies. Their role can include pre-event searches, on-scene measurement, and support during an unfolding incident when the nature of a hazard is not immediately clear.

Partner supply

Blackline supplied the equipment through Italian channel partner SWS (Safety Work Services). This reflects a common approach in industrial and public safety procurement, where overseas manufacturers use local distributors for delivery, support and training.

Blackline sells connected safety devices in multiple markets and promotes continuous data from wearables and fixed monitors. It also reports that its systems have generated large volumes of telemetry and emergency alerts across its installed base.

In a statement on the deployment, CEO and chair Cody Slater linked the decision to the complexity of the event environment.

"The Olympic Games represent one of the most complex public safety environments in the world, making pre-event sweeps and active monitoring critical," Slater said.

"Blackline Safety's real-time connected technology is recognized worldwide for its ability to enhance personnel and public safety and save lives," he said.