When technology meets people’s safety
In 2007, when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone, few could have imagined that this small revolution would transform not just the way we communicate but the entire global technological landscape. Today, we live in a digital ecosystem where refrigerators, scales and televisions connect to the internet, virtual servers process billions of data points, and apps manage every aspect of our daily lives.
This rapid evolution has swept through even traditionally conservative industries, creating winners and losers at record speed. Motorola, Nokia and BlackBerry are among the tech giants that once seemed untouchable but were swept away by the innovations of more cutting-edge competitors. As Nokia’s CEO himself admitted during the sale of the company, “We weren’t forward-thinking enough.” A powerful lesson that resonates across every industry, including fire safety.
Life-saving innovation: unprecedented opportunities
Digital innovation has brought extraordinary improvements to the fire protection field. Powerful servers, many of them virtual, now enable multiple connections and computing capabilities that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. Fully automated warehouses ensure the fast and efficient distribution of safety equipment. Faster and more responsive apps allow for real-time monitoring, service scheduling, and centralized management of complex systems.
The COVID-19 pandemic pushed this transformation even further, shrinking distances through video calls and remote inspections. In the fire protection field, this meant the ability to monitor critical systems remotely, diagnose issues without physical travel, and respond quickly in situations where every second can mean the difference between life and death.
As Engineer Paolo Pesenti, CIO of Mozzanica, explains, “In the next three years, the technologies that will transform the IT landscape are artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced cybersecurity, hybrid and multi-cloud environments, automation and IT process orchestration.” In the field of fire protection, these technologies carry special weight, where reliability is not just a financial concern but a matter of public safety.
The risks of excessive innovation: lessons from literature
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Still, as Michael Crichton’s novels remind us, innovation also comes with risks. In Congo, the hunt for new blue diamonds for laser pointers was driven by the need to keep up with technological competition. But what happens when innovation gets out of hand? Westworld, The Terminal Man and Jurassic Park paint scenarios where “the latest breakthrough” becomes unmanageable.
We’re seeing similar phenomena today. People are constantly connected, smartphones in hand, moving through life like robots. Graphic interfaces are wearing down real human interaction among coworkers, clients and suppliers. Children grow up swiping touchscreens instead of building real relationships. Artificial intelligence, while a technical marvel, is leading many young people to disengage from learning, outsourcing even core educational tasks to technology.
In the safety field, these risks become even more critical. A fire protection system that fails due to a software error or a lost internet connection can have devastating consequences. As Eng. Pesenti points out, “Balancing data security and innovation is one of the most important challenges IT managers face today.”
The Mozzanica case: pioneers of responsible innovation
Mozzanica’s story shows that it’s possible to innovate while keeping responsibility for people’s safety at center stage. As early as 1982, Natale Mozzanica saw the value of building customer relationships through an innovative documentation service, manually compiling the first maintenance records. In 1989, the company introduced its first DOS-based management system, making Mozzanica the first company in the fire protection field to adopt such an innovation.
Switching to Microsoft platforms brought new updates in 1995, 1999, and 2004, all aimed at improving service as the client base continued to grow. But the real turning point came in 2009, when the company recognized the need for a radical technological leap. Printed, handwritten reports and separate invoicing had become an unsustainable bottleneck.
In 2011, Mozzanica launched a digital system using handheld devices, once again leading the sector. By 2015, the company had moved to tablets and introduced remote work, anticipating the shift to smart working. The arrival of Engineer Pesenti as CTIO in 2017 further accelerated the digital transformation.
“See.it” and “Tag.it” (2017) brought digital archives to the cloud with remote monitoring. “Check.it” (2019–2020) centralized maintenance management. In 2022–2023, the company developed a proprietary fire prevention system using thermal cameras, which is currently undergoing patent approval.
Today’s challenges: AI and cultural transformation
Mozzanica is currently exploring how artificial intelligence can improve production processes, always with a responsible approach. As Eng. Pesenti points out, “Managing resistance to change isn’t easy, especially when technology disrupts long-established habits. Installing a new solution isn’t enough, people need to be guided through the change.”
This mindset reflects a core awareness: in the fire protection field, technological innovation is above all a cultural shift. Evaluation metrics must go “beyond traditional IT benchmarks,” factoring in business value, cost efficiency, performance, system availability, and above all, safety.
Adopting zero-trust architectures, integrated governance, proactive risk management and continuous training at every level of the organization becomes essential when you’re responsible for people’s safety.
Looking ahead: innovation is an enabler but it must be managed wisely
Mozzanica’s experience shows that it is possible to lead in innovation while always maintaining responsibility as a compass. Edge computing, the Internet of Things, machine learning and advanced cybersecurity are the frontiers of the near future, but they must be integrated gradually, with the same foresight that has guided the company through its forty-year history.
As Pesenti concludes, “We see technology as an enabler, not as something that restricts daily operations. We see it instead as something that can propel the company into the future.” In the fire protection field, that future must be built with the understanding that every innovation carries the responsibility of protecting human life.
Digital innovation in the fire protection field isn’t just a technological or economic matter; it’s an ethical challenge. Mozzanica has shown that investing time, money, and resources in innovation, but always with careful consideration, is the way to build a safer future for everyone. A valuable lesson for a sector where technological excellence and social responsibility must always go hand in hand.