What 20 years of Desu Systems reveals about industrial safety progress

by Breaking NewsFire Detection

Desu Systems launches 20 insights campaign

Desu Systems has launched an anniversary initiative setting out lessons from two decades in industrial safety.

The Netherlands-based distributor of flame and gas detection and suppression systems announced its “20 Insights from 20 Years” campaign in November 2025.

According to the company, the campaign shares experience from partnerships across more than 60 countries.

The hub also presents a company timeline, customer stories and technology milestones.

Ronald Verkroost, Founder of Desu Systems, said: “When we started Desu Systems in 2005, we set out to do things differently – faster, more flexible, and with total focus on the customer.

“It’s about giving back – sharing what we’ve learned to help others raise their standards of protection.”

Focus on evolving detection and support

Desu Systems said the initiative draws on work with brands including Spectrex, Buckeye Fire, Emerson Measurement Solutions, Sensia and Hansentek.

The company explained that its systems support facilities such as refineries, offshore substations, hydrogen plants, food processing sites and aviation hangars.

Emile Hippe, Chief Executive Officer at Desu Systems, said: “Our industry evolves constantly: smarter sensors, predictive data, fewer false alarms.

“But what doesn’t change is our mission: to guide safety professionals toward the best-fit solutions for their environments.

“We’re proud to stand behind the technologies that keep people, assets, and operations safe – every day.”

Partner feedback on capability and delivery

According to Desu Systems, partners highlighted technical depth and delivery standards.

Emil Cohen, Emerson Measurement Solutions, said: “Unmatched expertise in flame and gas solutions” and “dedication to partner success.”

Jason Sickenberger, Buckeye Fire, noted: “Professionalism, integrity, and operational excellence.”

Ryan Facer, Hansentek, said: “Collaborative feedback that strengthened our product development.”

Daan Korenhoff, Lavastica, described Desu as: “A partner who always keeps their promises.”

Ivan Vučević, Zarja Elektronika, said: “Desu are the best.”

Overview of the 20 insights

The “20 Insights from 20 Years” campaign condenses two decades of operational experience into practical lessons for safety professionals.

Desu Systems said the insights address lifecycle reliability, detector design, placement, calibration and adaptation to new fuels and materials.

They also explore the value of third-party approvals, verification testing and maintenance planning for system longevity.

The company explained that several insights highlight how to minimise false alarms, improve performance in harsh environments and optimise detection coverage through positioning.

A full review of all 20 insights is available via the dedicated campaign link provided by Desu Systems.

Concise review of themes with link context

Desu Systems has summarised two decades of practical learning into 20 insights available through its anniversary hub.

The themes cover lifecycle reliability, detector design and operational efficiency across varied industrial environments.

Several insights focus on how to minimise false alarms, optimise placement and adapt detection systems for new fuel types and materials.

Others address the value of third-party approvals, rigorous factory verification and side-by-side testing to ensure long-term performance.

The list also examines the impact of maintenance decisions, the economics of lifecycle reliability and how feedback from real-world projects supports continual improvement.

A full breakdown of the 20 insights can be viewed via the campaign link provided by Desu Systems.

Relevance for fire and safety professionals

Procurement officers and equipment specifiers can use the listed insights to structure evaluations around lifecycle reliability, verification testing and third-party approvals.

Fire engineering consultants and system designers may apply guidance on range planning, placement and sensitivity tuning to improve coverage and reduce false activations.

Oil and gas safety officers and industrial facility managers can map lessons from hydrogen fuelling, waste handling and power grid sites to comparable high-hazard environments.

Training officers can incorporate side-by-side comparisons and pre-deployment fire-testing into competency frameworks for detection technology selection.

How FireVu enables smarter detection for modern environments

by Breaking NewsFire DetectionIFSJ Exclusives

Mike Newton, CTO and Chairman of NetVu, explains how FireVu uses visual and thermal detection to overcome limits of point and beam sensors 

In large, complex environments such as hangars, warehouses and waste facilities, traditional detectors often struggle.

Point sensors rely on smoke reaching them, while beam detectors are disrupted by dust, insects, or airflow.

FireVu, developed by NetVu, offers an alternative.

Using visual and thermal imaging, it detects smoke, flame and heat directly at the source, enabling faster, more accurate alerts where standard systems may fail.

IFSJ Editor Iain Hoey sat down with Mike Newton, CTO and Chairman of NetVu, to discuss FireVu, its technology and where it fits in today’s fire safety market.

What challenges do traditional detectors face and how does video help?

In large or semi-open environments, traditional fire detection methods like point or beam detectors often fall short.

Point detectors depend on smoke reaching them, which can be delayed significantly in voluminous spaces or completely bypassed due to stratification, airflow, or ventilation systems.

In partially outdoor settings, they may not be installable at all without impractical infrastructure.

FireVu avoids these issues by detecting smoke, flame and heat directly at the source using intelligent video and thermal imaging.

Instead of waiting for smoke to rise or drift to the location of the sensor, the system sees what’s happening in real time, even in the most challenging conditions.

Importantly, our flame detection uses absolute physical laws, including colour, intensity and black-body radiation principles, to verify flame signatures at a pixel level.

This ensures highly accurate and fast confirmation of real fire events, while drastically reducing false positives.

It’s one of the reasons FireVu performs so well in environments where traditional detectors simply can’t cope.

How do FireVu cameras, recorders and servers work together?

FireVu is built on the same proven video management platform as our surveillance systems at NetVu, all underpinned by our NetVu Connected architecture.

That’s the foundation that ties everything together, enabling seamless communication, synchronised data handling and system resilience.

It’s what allows us to bring video, thermal imaging, analytics and alarm management into a single, unified solution.

In a typical installation, we deploy FireVu multi-sensor detectors that combine visual and thermal detection.

These feed into dedicated analytics servers, which run our fire detection algorithms and generate alerts based on real-time conditions.

Alarm modules then manage the communication of those alerts – whether it’s triggering on-site sounders, integrating with a fire panel, or notifying a remote control room.

What’s powerful about NetVu Connected is that it allows all these components to talk to each other and to other systems.

We often operate alongside existing CCTV infrastructure, fire alarm systems, or building management platforms without needing to start from scratch.

Everything can be viewed and managed centrally, with metadata and alarms linked to actual video footage, so operators aren’t working blind.

They get a full, verified picture of what’s happening, as it happens.

How does visual verification reduce false alarms and call-outs?

FireVu is designed to minimise false positives and that comes down to the way we combine multiple detection technologies within a single device.

The multi-detector uses a fusion of thermal sensing, Visual Flame Detection (VFD) and Visual Smoke Detection (VSD) to assess each potential event from multiple angles before triggering an alert.

This layered approach allows the system to filter out irrelevant triggers, such as dust, heat from personnel, or transient visual anomalies, that would cause unnecessary call-outs in more traditional setups.

By cross-verifying between smoke, heat and flame signatures, we’re able to confirm a real threat quickly and accurately.

Because FireVu is a visual system, operators also benefit from instant situational awareness.

They can review what triggered the alert in real time or roll back pre-event footage, either locally or remotely.

This not only increases trust in the alarm but enables proactive intervention before a situation escalates, avoiding unnecessary evacuations, site disruption, or emergency response.

Where do clients see benefits from the Multi Detector?

We integrated thermal sensing to smoke and flame detection back in 2016, so it’s not new, but the combination of all three detection methods in one unit has been a game-changer.

First, it simplifies installation – rather than installing multiple single-purpose detectors, one FireVu unit can cover everything.

That reduces cost and complexity.

Second, the integration isn’t just physical, it’s deep in the processing.

For example, thermal and visual data work together to confirm whether what we’re seeing really is a flame.

That pixel-level analysis gives us extremely low false alarm rates and greater confidence in each detection.

What integration options does FireVu offer with existing systems?

FireVu supports full compatibility with standard fire alarm panels and building management systems via loop IO units, ensuring straightforward deployment in both new-build and retrofit environments.

What sets us apart is that all detection, decision-making and alarm signalling are embedded directly within the detector unit itself.

This edge-based architecture means FireVu doesn’t rely on external PCs, central servers or even network connectivity to operate which is a critical distinction when it comes to resilience.

If the network fails or external systems go offline, FireVu continues to detect and report independently.

That level of autonomy is essential in high-risk or mission-critical environments, where downtime simply isn’t an option.

Beyond standard alarm outputs, FireVu also enables more advanced integration.

For example, it can steer suppression systems, such as water cannons or fire monitors, to the exact location of a verified incident.

It can provide granular incident data to building management platforms, allowing operators to see not just that an alarm occurred, but what triggered it, where and when.

This combination of real-time intelligence and robust system independence helps FireVu meet and often exceed the operational and compliance standards required in sectors like defence, energy, aviation and industrial processing.

What recent updates, certifications or partnerships should readers know about?

FireVu continues to perform strongly in the UK across high-risk and critical infrastructure sites, with growing international interest in Germany, Australia and parts of Asia.

These regions face similar challenges, from waste processing fires to lithium-ion battery storage risks and FireVu is increasingly chosen for its ability to deliver early, reliable detection where conventional systems fall short.

This global expansion is being driven by technical validation and partnerships with organisations seeking smarter, adaptable solutions.

Building on NetVu’s history in video-based detection, FireVu is evolving with investments in edge processing, AI-assisted filtering and wider system integration.

Is there anything else you’d like to highlight?

One area where we continue to lead is in the strength of our intellectual property.

NetVu holds patents around flame detection based on colour and intensity – a method we pioneered and developed into a commercially robust solution through FireVu.

It’s the foundation of our flame verification approach, grounded in physical laws and refined through years of field application.

FireVu is fundamentally built to address the limitations of conventional detection systems in complex environments.

Time and again, we’ve seen general-purpose fire products fall short when applied to hangars, waste plants and other industrial spaces.

That’s why we created a specialist system for specialist challenges.

We’re not just reacting to market trends, we’ve been setting the standard for what intelligent video-based fire detection should look like.

FireVu reflects that legacy of leadership and we’re continuing to innovate from a position of technical strength and deep sector experience.

This was originally published in the October 2025 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.

Safeguarding data centres with Johnson Controls’ early detection

by Breaking NewsFire Detection

Martin Schulte-Frankenfeld, Senior Director of Product Management for Fire Detection at Johnson Controls, explains how aspirating smoke detection can help protect mission critical facilities

In mission critical environments, specifying effective fire detection products is more than a precaution — it’s a business and operational imperative.

Whether in hospitals, labs or data centres, having early fire detection warnings is a necessary strategy for protecting the critical assets that keep these operations running.

Without early detection, smouldering fires can go unnoticed until they reach a more critical stage, especially in areas of densely packed equipment.

To catch fires in the early stage, before they cause damage, fire protection professionals are turning towards innovative aspirating smoke detection (ASD) technology that provides advanced warning — and valuable time to react.

While the technology has been around since the 1980s, recent innovations enable ASD to integrate directly with a facility’s fire alarm system, giving operators the power to access highly precise fire detection readings and early warnings of potential fire events, even on their mobile devices.

By understanding this technology, fire protection professionals can help data centres, labs and other mission critical facilities take a more informed, proactive approach to fire detection.

How ASD can help detect danger before it escalates

Initially developed in the 1980s, ASD systems have a long track record of protecting sensitive assets.

The technology can detect early signs of fires before they can cause damage.

A network of small, perforated pipes installed throughout a facility continuously draws in air samples, particularly near potentially high-risk areas that are prone to overheating and smouldering, such as data centre server rooms.

An aspirator (air pump) in the ASD system pulls air through the sampling pipes and delivers it to the detection unit.

With advanced LED- or laser-based technology, the unit detects smoke particles at concentrations much lower than standard detection systems, often before they’re visible to the naked eye.

If the system detects that the concentration of smouldering particles exceeds the set threshold, it issues an early warning alarm to alert building operators.

This allows teams to assess the situation and, if needed, initiate fire safety protocols.

Why ASD works for complex, high-risk facilities

ASD systems are designed to offer several distinct advantages, including:

False alarm reduction

ASD systems employ highly sensitive smoke detection to distinguish between harmless dust particles and actual smoke, reducing the risk of false alarms and increasing peace of mind.

Efficient fire detection

An ASD system can cover larger areas with a single detection unit, making it cost-efficient for protecting expansive or complex facilities.

Effectiveness in high-airflow environments

Some mission critical environments like data centre server rooms and labs can have continuously circulating air.

ASD systems seamlessly collect samples from predetermined locations all around a room or facility, so moving air does not impact operations.

Customisable risk management

ASD systems give building teams flexibility to program sensitivity levels that align with the needs of specific zones.

For example, setting lower sensitivity in non-critical areas can reduce the risk of false alarms.

Likewise, elevated sensitivity levels near high-risk areas can help ensure more rapid detection and response to potential fire events.

Integrating ASD for a layered approach to fire detection

Some ASD systems operate independently of fire alarm systems.

With a standalone approach, facility personnel must be in the same vicinity as the ASD panel to see or hear an alarm.

As a result, personnel may not be immediately aware of the alarm — losing precious reaction time that could be spent stopping an event before an actual fire occurs.

Fire protection professionals can help facility teams enhance ASD system alarm communication by specifying ASD technology that is integrated directly with their fire alarm system.

System integration lets teams monitor fire detection and alarm activity together from a single dashboard.

To add an extra layer of early warning, facility and fire protection teams can also install a remote activity monitoring device that provides mobile notifications and cloud-based dashboard access.

With real-time, around-the-clock access to operational information, building personnel can monitor and manage fire detection systems from any location.

This is particularly useful for teams overseeing multiple sites, whether regionally or worldwide.

A fully integrated ASD system can trigger two stages of alarms.

The first alarm is an early warning indicator alerts to an increase in smouldering particles, which is a warning that a fire event could be imminent.

The second alarm is triggered when the system detects smoke and when the situation requires immediate attention.

It activates local alarms or annunciators to quickly notify building occupants.

Multi-level alarms, especially when delivered directly to a mobile device, allow building operators to investigate potential fire events early and to intervene by looking into the source of the issue.

As a result, teams can reduce the risk of serious harm to assets.

24/7 monitoring helps safeguard operations and prevent downtime

A fully integrated ASD system can deliver a strong value for the investment.

Because an ASD system detects smouldering fires early, they can decrease the risk of equipment or data loss, as well as help maintain uptime.

And, while ASD systems are valuable for alerting teams to fire events in their earlier stages, they provide even more value when integrated with a fire alarm system that offers remote activity monitoring and real-time connectivity for 24/7 awareness.

To ensure mission critical facilities are protected around-the-clock by a safe, compatible, integrated detection system, the best approach is to partner with an experienced full-service fire solutions provider with expertise in mission critical facilities.

An expert partner can help conduct a thorough risk assessment to ensure the fire detection solution is customised to the needs of the project and contributes to safe, efficient and profitable operations for years to come.

This was originally published in the October 2025 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.

Safety starts with CAST: C-TEC’s vision for connected safety

by Breaking NewsFire Detection

Andy Green, Marketing Director at C-TEC, explores the CAST protocol, its system benefits, product innovation, UK manufacturing values, training initiatives and future safety priorities

Tell us about C-TEC’s CAST protocol?

CAST stands for C-TEC Addressable System Technology.

It’s our own proprietary life-safety system communication protocol that helps facilitate fast installation, servicing, maintenance and operation.

We use it to power and control some of our flagship systems, not only our XFP and ZFP CAST addressable fire detection and alarm systems but also our EVAC-ALERT evacuation alert system and HUSH-PRO residential fire alarm system, all of which can work as stand-alone or combined systems.

What are the key benefits for fire specialists and specifiers?

Fire specialists can be confident they are installing quality standards-compliant systems that offer unprecedented fire protection and the potential to significantly reduce operational and lifetime ownership costs.

Specifiers can be secure in the knowledge they are recommending solutions that meet and, in many cases, exceed the requirements of current British and European legislation.

Aside from this, our CAST systems open up opportunities for additional revenue streams.

For example, EVAC-ALERT, our evacuation alert system was specifically designed in response to the launch of the BS 8629 product standard in 2019, and, as a result, many fire specialists diversified to meet the rising demand for these systems in new buildings over 18m.

HUSH-PRO, our BS 5839-6 Grade C residential fire solution is another system that’s been widely adopted by progressive companies keen to expand into new markets.

As a monitored Grade C system, it’s been hailed as a breakthrough as it not only provides high levels of fire protection but also minimises the costly and massively disruptive false alarms commonplace in student accommodation and other residential dwellings.

It can even be interfaced to a landlord monitoring system and some of our new Cloud-based products to make strategies such as ‘stay put’ or ‘defend in place’ safer.

It’s our latest innovation though, CAST-PRO, that’s going to have the biggest benefits for the industry, including end-users.

So what’s so special about CAST-PRO?

CAST-PRO is a combined heat, smoke and CO fire detector with a tone or voice sounder and a VAD – all in one device, the kind of product that to date has mostly been associated with closed protocol systems and larger projects.

It includes some very clever algorithms that are extremely good at ignoring false alarms caused by phenomena such as vaping vapour, steam and incense but at the same time it can pinpoint real fires quickly.

Originally CAST-PRO was only compatible with our ZFP 1-8 loop addressable fire system but we took the decision to also make it available on our XFP 1-2 loop system to effectively bring this technology into the mainstream.

This means every site can now benefit from the powerful fire protection this device offers and its other features such as one wiring point instead of two, auto-addressing and a great deal more.

It is a formidable combination we believe will make a real impact on the fire industry and we’ve had some amazing feedback so far.

Why is being a UK manufacturer so important to you?

We’re very proud that every single C-TEC system is designed and manufactured in the UK and equally proud that we export to over 80 countries.

The fact that we don’t just manufacture our life safety systems here, we design them too is very important as it gives us complete control over the process and our customers can be confident that our systems will work as expected in any situation.

The certification of many of our systems to EN54-13 underlines this.

I should add here that we design things twice at C-TEC, once so it works, and again so it can be manufactured in a way that makes our systems affordable for all.

What do you think makes C-TEC so successful?

We’re one of the few truly independent engineering-led UK fire manufacturers left so we have the drive and freedom to be exceptionally innovative which explains why we’re always ahead of the curve.

We were one of the first to embrace EN 54 certification, it wasn’t compulsory in the UK back in the day, but we got our products certified anyway which meant that, when the EU directive became a regulation, we were already there.

We’re also very good at adapting to new trends so, when the market started to move towards complete systems, we created our own protocol and began to design some really revolutionary products, not only fire systems but also nursecall, disabled refuge and assistive listening systems.

Last but not least our people are absolutely central to the success of the business.

We invest heavily in training, new technology and creating incredible environments for our people to thrive in.

For example, our manufacturing facility and dedicated R&D facility are state-of-the-art centres of excellence designed to attract and retain talent.

We believe that having a happy and motivated workforce allows us to embrace new technologies quickly, be creative and ultimately reap rewards for our customers.

Our motto is ‘You’re Safe with C-TEC’ and I think that sums up perfectly what C-TEC and its people are all about in terms of world-class products, service and quality.

What inspired you to start running your regulated BS 5839-1 courses?

We’ve always provided free educational CPD-certified courses on new legislation and free product training to promote best practice and raise awareness but the launch of our BS 5839-1 courses signalled our intention take this even further.

As a forward-thinking manufacturer, we are keen to lift standards in our industry and the quality of fire installations across the UK.

As our courses are low-cost and centrally located, they’ve been very successful in encouraging more engineers to work towards gaining a nationally recognised Ofqual-recognised qualification in the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire systems and that’s something we are genuinely thrilled about.

What do you think will become the key focus areas in fire safety?

Complete EN54-13 compliant systems and the golden thread of information to ensure accurate, up-to-date building records.

Internet connectivity is becoming increasingly important due to the focus on compliance and this is why we created ENVISION, our Cloud-based Fire IoT remote access, service and site management software package.

It’s available on all of our CAST-powered systems and allows all kinds of reports on system activity to be generated and to be flagged on smart phones or desktops on or off site.

It can also assist with system testing and commissioning too.

With its interactive site plans and user-friendly App, it not only makes things easier for installers, end users, duty holders and site managers, it provides evidence that work has been actioned diligently via a verifiable audit trail.

Anything else you’d like the industry to know about?

Yes, I’m delighted to announce that, as of 1 May 2025, all of our CAST-powered systems will have a five-year warranty, which is an increase of over three years on some items in the range.

We are doing this because we are confident in the quality of our products and manufacturing which, as all these years of being a leader in life-safety innovation proves, we’re pretty good at.

Also, just like our products, which are available to anyone who is serious about fire safety and protecting people and property properly, we also have an open door policy at our factory.

If anyone wants to visit us to see our facilities, enjoy a factory tour and witness our CAST systems in action, all they have to do is contact their account manager or send an email to marketing@c-tec.co.uk and we’ll do the rest.

This was originally published in the October 2025 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.

How a space-based wildfire system is changing emergency management in Colorado

by Featured NewsFire DetectionWildland Fire

Larimer County partners with OroraTech for wildfire detection

The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with OroraTech USA to improve wildfire preparedness and response across Colorado’s fire-prone northern region.

The 2025 pilot programme integrates OroraTech’s Wildfire Solution platform into the county’s Emergency Services Division workflow.

According to OroraTech, the platform provides near-instant wildfire alerts, AI-powered spread modelling and operational insights adapted to the area’s mountainous terrain.

Officials said the integration supports early identification of wildfire outbreaks, more accurate situational assessments and faster decision-making during the critical early hours of an incident.

AI modelling enhances emergency decision-making

Justin Whitesell, Chief of Emergency Services for the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, said: “Larimer County continues to face rising wildfire frequency and severity. OroraTech provides us with a new layer of intelligence to act faster and smarter.

“It helps us to verify ignition points, model fire spread, and make better decisions with our firefighting resources.

“It’s quickly becoming a vital addition to our toolkit.”

Between 1984 and 2021, Larimer County recorded at least 16 major wildfires, including the 208,000-acre Cameron Peak Fire in 2020 and the 87,000-acre High Park Fire in 2012.

More than 15% of the county’s land area has been burned in recent decades.

The county’s geography and growing population density have increased the complexity of wildfire management.

Space-based intelligence aids local response

Thomas Gruebler, CEO of OroraTech USA, said: “Wildfires are the most frequent natural hazard in Larimer County, and our goal is to ensure agencies have the best possible intelligence at their fingertips.

“We are proud to support Chief Whitesell, Sheriff John Feyen, and the LCSO team in safeguarding lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems.”

OroraTech said its Wildfire Solution combines satellite imagery and AI to detect ignition points, track fire movement and predict behaviour under changing conditions.

The company explained that the system continues to deliver data even in difficult terrain and reduced visibility.

Officials said this provides situational awareness within minutes rather than hours.

Technology supports wildfire resilience in Colorado

The Larimer County pilot reflects growing interest in satellite-driven fire intelligence across the American West.

According to OroraTech, early adoption by local authorities can help improve coordination and resource deployment during large-scale wildfire events.

The company added that the partnership demonstrates how satellite monitoring can complement existing detection systems, supporting county-level emergency planning.

Relevance for fire and safety professionals

Satellite-based wildfire detection systems such as OroraTech’s Wildfire Solution could inform emergency and disaster response managers evaluating digital monitoring tools for regional preparedness planning.

The Larimer County pilot may be of interest to fire chiefs, incident commanders and operations officers assessing how near-real-time data can enhance decision-making during the first phase of a wildfire event.

Procurement officers and technology leads within fire and rescue services may also find relevance in how the platform integrates with existing emergency service workflows.

The pilot highlights how satellite imagery and AI-driven spread modelling can be used to support early warning, resource allocation and operational coordination across complex wildfire zones.