Safiyyah Khan, VP of Marketing at Firetrace, discusses the company’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and providing effective fire protection for emerging technologies and critical infrastructures

Firetrace International, now in its 24th year, is a leader in fire suppression technology.

With a strong presence across various industries, including clean energy, machining, manufacturing, and transportation, Firetrace is at the forefront of innovation and safety.

Safiyyah Khan, the company’s VP of Marketing, plays a key role not only in marketing but also in new product development, product management, and growth marketing.

She also oversees Firetrace’s clean energy and industrial business units while leading the company’s talent, culture and sustainability initiatives.

IFSJ Editor Iain Hoey spoke to Safiyyah to find out more about Firetrace’s advancements and vision for the future.

Could you highlight some of FireTrace’s key suppression technologies and how they are used in different environments?

Our flagship technology is the direct release clean agent system.

It doesn’t require power and provides instant detection and deployment through our detection tubing.

Much of our work is heavily customised for our customers, though we do offer off-the-shelf solutions.

We also specialize in deploying  CO2 systems and clean agents, which don’t have lasting environmental impacts, a priority for us from the start.

Within the Halma network, we collaborate to build comprehensive systems.

Particularly in clean energy, we’re working on solutions for lithium-ion battery systems.

For example, since there isn’t a universally accepted solution for these yet, we combine our clean agent systems with aerosol generators from one of our sister companies, which is promising for lithium-ion battery safety.

We’ve invested heavily in innovation to stay ahead in an evolving industry.

Environmental changes are also a key driver for us.

Our clean agents aren’t “forever chemicals” but belong to the PFAs group.

Since environmental regulations vary across regions, we focus on providing solutions that meet global environmental standards at local levels.

While some markets are seeking alternatives to clean agents like Novec, others are still using CO2 systems.

We’re committed to providing environmentally friendly options tailored to different regions and customer needs.

We also have a strong commitment to sustainability, which is one reason I joined Firetrace.

I came from the clean energy sector, and personally, I’m dedicated to working with companies that have a positive impact on the world, both environmentally and socially.

We have a robust sustainability program that covers not just our technology but also how we operate daily.

While the market demands sustainability innovation, we also focus on internal efforts because it’s central to our values.

How does Firetrace protect sensitive equipment with its suppression systems?

We’re a very customer-driven organisation.

For sensitive applications, like data canters and clean rooms, that’s where our diverse portfolio and network comes in.

In the US, for example, we work through over 500 global partners who are deeply familiar with their local markets.

They know what will work best for their specific customers and can recommend the right solutions or combinations from our portfolio.

This is why we maintain a wide range of offerings.

Some products we had previously taken off the market or hadn’t focused on in the first 15 years are now seeing renewed demand due to advancements in business and technology.

How is Firetrace adapting its solutions to protect aging renewable energy infrastructures?

We work with a variety of utilities in the US and abroad, and their needs vary.

For example, protecting wind turbines is quite straightforward for us now, and many OEM partners include fire suppression as a standard feature.

In some cases, other stakeholders are demanding it.

With less widespread technologies like battery storage or solar, we’ve faced challenges.

For instance, a utility wanted to install fire suppression on more risky, older inverters, but the manufacturer resisted because their equipment was certified without it.

They were focused on developing new, safer inverters rather than investing in fire suppression for older models.

This kind of challenge is common with aging assets, where stakeholders may have different priorities or responsibilities.

Retrofitting wind turbines is standard for us—many were not sold with fire suppression but later required it, so we step in to protect them.

We’ve safeguarded billions of dollars’ worth of wind turbines, where even a small fire could potentially cause significant losses.

For wind turbines, our clean agent systems are preferred because they leave no residue, meaning the equipment isn’t destroyed if deployed.

As new wind turbine designs emerge, we customise fire suppression systems for each OEM or asset owner.

Our engineering team works closely with customers to configure solutions for their evolving products on a case-by-case basis.

How does Firetrace address the increased fire risks associated with hybrid energy system?

The broadening of our portfolio allows us to adapt to these hybrid systems.

Initially, we didn’t pursue solar protection much because large-scale solar projects are often in remote areas where a “let it burn” approach was cheaper.

But after listening to customers, we saw that smaller string inverters could benefit from our plug-and-play Flex Rope solution.

As for battery energy storage systems (BESS), we use a combined approach.

 Third party research has shown that most BESS fires start in the electrical components—like power conversion systems—so we protect those with clean agents.

If the fire escalates to the lithium-ion battery enclosures, we partner with sister companies to provide condensed aerosol generators and other components like visual and audio alarms, smoke detectors, and venting, depending on customer needs.

What steps is Firetrace taking to reduce significant storage fires?

The regulations and perspectives of fire safety officials vary significantly from state to state.

We’ve worked closely with fire marshals, particularly in states like Arizona and California, where many of these fires have historically occurred, as well as in New York and Massachusetts where clean energy goals are aggressive.

 Fire officials are deeply concerned about protecting lives because once a lithium-ion fire reaches a certain stage, they can only intervene with large amounts of water, and there is a risk massive explosions.

We’re focused on educating ourselves and being involved in research.

Recent third party studies show that a large percentage of fires start in the electrical components, not in the battery cells themselves.

Understanding this helps us focus on preventing those initial fires.

Meanwhile, battery manufacturers are working to develop enclosures that can prevent fire spread to the cells once a fire starts elsewhere.

What future advancements is Firetrace pursuing to address emerging fire risks?

We’re heavily involved in shaping the industry’s future standards while staying focused on innovation.

We don’t just stick with what we know; we actively innovate alongside or ahead of our customers.

Initially, in the battery sector, customers didn’t think they needed much fire protection, but now they ask for everything.

We work closely with them to provide what’s truly effective, understanding their problems and offering reliable solutions.

Looking ahead, we’re continuing to expand our technology portfolio and create more sustainable solutions.

This article was originally published in the September 2024 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.