Qwake Technologies Ships First C-THRU Navigator System to Fire Departments

Aug. 20 - Today marks more than just another product launch—it represents the beginning of a new era in first response. Our C-THRU Navigator system, which fire service leaders are calling "the most significant advancement in firefighting technology in 30 years," is now in the hands of real firefighters, protecting real lives in real fires.

"Our kids are going to look back and ask how we ever did the job without C-THRU," one fire chief recently told us. That's the future we're building—one where firefighters have the tools they need to come home safe every day.

A Decade in the Making

The journey to this moment began with a simple, yet urgent curiosity: what role can technology play in augmenting speed, survivability, and effectiveness in low-visibility, dangerous environments?

What started as a simple question has evolved into C-THRU, a comprehensive platform for first responders, combining proprietary Edge Detection© technology, augmented reality, and AI-powered software to increase speed and situational awareness in high-stress, low-visibility environments, where every second matters. 

"This is an exciting time for Qwake," said Sam Cossman, Co-Founder and CEO. "With our first product shipment, we are moving from vision to impact, from field trials to live fires, and real lives saved. We're not slowing down—with C-THRU soon deploying on rigs nationwide, we're actively looking for municipalities ready to lead from the front, bringing cutting-edge, federally-backed safety technology to their communities."

The path to producing something as unique as C-THRU required overcoming significant technical and regulatory challenges. To get here, our team achieved critical milestones including overcoming the physics of taking a super computer into a live fire, balancing form and function to deliver AR technology in critical conditions, and navigating the certifications and regulations required of the most advanced cell phones.

For our team, this isn't just about technology, though—it's personal. With team members including former firefighters like Melanie Dziewit, Mike Ralston, and Brandon Smith, we understand the weight of responsibility that comes with building tools that protect those who risk their lives to protect others. So, we dedicated over 7,500 hours of testing, 1,000 of those spent in the heat of live fire, training to hone the technology to meet this challenge

Validation from the Field

Over the past two years, what started as unwavering curiosity has been validated at the highest levels. Through dozens of deployments with partner firefighters across the country, we’ve delivered exceptional results and answered the call: 

• 2.5x reduction in time to perform primary search reported by firefighters using C-THRU 
• 81% saw significant improvement in orientation and spatial awareness in zero-visibility conditions
• 74% of less experienced firefighters were faster, claiming C-THRU allowed them to conduct primary easier
• 68% experienced dramatically improved training outcomes and after-action reviews with visual playback

Mike Ralston, co-founder, strategic advisor, and former firefighter, brings unique perspective to this achievement: "Having spent years on the front lines, I understand firsthand the challenges firefighters face in zero-visibility environments. What we've built isn't just technology—it's a lifeline that will dramatically improve the individual firefighters’ ability to navigate and survive."
We are excited to continue to improve on these benchmarks, working alongside world class fire departments across the country in our Pioneer Program.

The Pioneer Program: Leading Innovation

This product launch comes through our Pioneer Program, which represents a carefully designed partnership with forward-thinking fire departments across the United States. The program provides participating departments with comprehensive C-THRU systems, including AR devices for helmets, remote viewing consoles for Incident Command, and three years of software, support, and training. These first customers are selected based on their inherent ability to lead from the front and to help define how this transformative capability will be utilized by all 29K+ departments in the United States.

"The most forward-leaning, innovative departments really resonate with this opportunity," Cossman noted. "The enthusiastic response has been overwhelming, and we're seeing departments that understand this technology will define the future of firefighting."

Federal Recognition and Momentum

The significance of our mission and this time in history has also garnered unprecedented federal support. Congress has provided specific appropriations language for Qwake Technologies in the FY26 budget—rare recognition for a company of our size that sends a powerful signal about the life-saving potential of this technology at launch. 

The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate has also been instrumental in aiding our research and development through their Office of Mission and Capability Support, with rigorous operational field assessments validating our system's effectiveness in real-world conditions.

As we fully enter the market, we are encouraged at the possibility of even closer partnership between local, state, and federal leadership. 

Looking Forward: The Platform for Next-Generation Emergency Response

As we celebrate this milestone, we're simultaneously preparing for rapid scaling. Demand from the field continues to grow, making our selection of the remaining Pioneer partners tougher. We plan to onboard one-to-two new Pioneer departments every month through year’s end.

We understand the real work is just beginning.

As we transition from a decade of development to real-world deployment, we carry with us the voices of every firefighter who tested our prototypes, every chief who believed in our vision, and one of our earliest advocates, the late Fire Chief Bobby Halton who would add that the best damn job in the world is the one you get to come home from.

The future of firefighting is here.

For more information about the Qwake Pioneer Program or to learn how your department can join the next generation of firefighting technology, visit www.qwake.tech or contact our team directly [email protected].