CAURUS Technologies foray into the international firefighting scene at the Aerial Firefighting Conference & Exhibition Europe in Athens, Greece, in October 2023 confirmed the potential of their two-pronged digitech and water efficiency-based fire extinguishing system idea. It underpinned one of the core issues in fighting ever increasing wildfire incidents: efficiency and safety of water deployment. CAURUS Technologies is developing a modular aerial firefighting system that integrates digital technology to improve precision and data visibility during aerial wildfire missions. It is thus able to multiply water efficiency in the extinguishing process.
For Philippe Telle, CEO of CAURUS Technologies, the conference provided tangible examples illustrating the enormous efforts to control the recent historically fierce wildfires in the EU. Fire Lieutenant Colonel Zisoula Ntasiou of the HELLENIC FIRE SERVICE, co-chair and speaker, summarized the situation: “This year we saw very high flame intensity & length of fires. During three big, parallel fires in July, twenty two countries supported us in the largest-ever EU civil protection mission”.
Water Efficiency & Safety are Key
Telle’s exchanges with people responsible for firefighting – from state administration, civil protection, firefighting or air operations – further confirmed his conviction that CAURUS Technologies is on the right track with their innovative firefighting solution: “You look at the growing risks resulting from a changing climate and increased wildfire incidents and you realize: using and saving resources at the same time is becoming increasingly important. Firefighting resources like water are scarce, so water needs to be used efficiently. Firefighting forces and their equipment operate in dangerous conditions, so safe processes are key. It is our system approach to complement existing assets by targeting fires with increased precision and to deliver the water where it makes the biggest mission impact.” The approach holds the potential to make firefighting safer for firefighters and relief forces, boosting water efficiency, enabling faster extinguishing and reducing flame intensity. Thus, protecting lives and nature, saving resources and reducing CO2 emissions.
Upgraded Human Skills Meet New Technology
The conference provided several cases studies looking back at 2023’s record wildfires and resulting lessons learned. How to build resilience is today at the core of all firefighting discussion, as wildfires grow ever fiercer, wildfire seasons extend beyond the summer months and now also affect areas that have not been greatly impacted in the past. The threat increases clearly faster than resources can be replenished. The sessions also provided valuable insights into the need for international cooperation, new organisational approaches and processes to better manage and coordinate firefighting efforts, skills upgrading and training for firefighting forces. And lastly, panellists and speakers discussed new technologies including drone-based detection and tracking technologies as well as new extinguishing technology.
About CAURUS Technologies
CAURUS Technologies was founded in 2022 by a team of engineering, management and finance professionals with combined 120 years of experience in aerospace and defense technology, corporate development and finance. The company aims to develop an innovative technology that can speed up the extinguishing process and multiply water’s impact on fire.