Lighting is an essential tool for firefighters operating in dangerous and challenging environments. Pelican Products, known for their durable and reliable equipment, provides advanced lighting solutions tailored for the firefighting community.
This interview with Nate Quan, Product Manager for Lighting at Pelican Lighting Solutions, sheds light on the company’s offerings, focusing on the development, functionality, and practical application of their lighting products.
Readers will gain a better understanding of how these tools are designed to meet the unique needs of emergency responders.
Pelican Products, Inc. is a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance protective cases, temperature-controlled packaging solutions, advanced portable lighting systems and rugged gear for professionals and outdoor enthusiasts. Foundationally, Pelican products have always been biased towards serving the needs of the professional user who often use equipment in various unforgiving environments.
Pelican Products is largely known for its reliable cases, but we build our lighting solutions with the same durability and ingenuity that’s integrated into every Pelican case.
Nate Quan
From lighting solutions to equipment cases to coolers, we deliver the kind of reliability and protection that professionals around the world demand.
Firefighters operate in high-risk, high-stress environments where visibility can mean the difference between a successful operation and a dangerous situation. Whether navigating smoke-filled buildings, assessing hazards at night, or signaling to team members in low-light conditions, dependable lighting is an essential tool.
The lighting firefighters rely on must be engineered to perform in extreme conditions, ensuring safety, efficiency and operational success. Every product we develop incorporates several key aspects to meet the demanding needs of firefighters:
Robust engineering: Our lights are designed for durability and reliability, capable of withstanding extreme temperatures, impacts, and water exposure.
Ergonomics: Proper weight distribution and grip ensure the light fits comfortably in hand, on a helmet, or integrated with turnout gear without adding unnecessary strain.
User interface: Simple, intuitive controls are critical in high-pressure situations. Our designs include large, easy-to-use buttons that allow firefighters to adjust settings quickly, even with gloved hands.
LED technology: We use high-output LEDs to provide maximum brightness, ensuring firefighters have the illumination needed to navigate dark, smoke-filled areas.
Optical engineering: The right beam distribution is crucial. Some scenarios require a tight, focused beam to cut through smoke, while others need a broad floodlight for situational awareness. Our lighting solutions offer both options.
Battery technology: Reliable power is essential in emergency situations. Our lights are equipped with advanced battery systems to maximize run time, allowing firefighters to operate for extended periods without the worry of losing light.
When selecting a lighting product, firefighters prioritize several essential characteristics to ensure reliability and ease of use in critical situations:
Ease of use: The design must be intuitive, with simple controls that allow quick operation even in stressful environments. Whether toggling between brightness settings or activating a strobe function, firefighters need immediate access to the right lighting mode.
Dependability: Lights must withstand harsh conditions, including exposure to high temperatures, water, and physical impact. Durability ensures that the light remains functional when it is needed most.
Brightness: A strong, focused beam is crucial for visibility in smoke-filled or dark environments, while a wide flood beam may be needed for broader scene illumination. High-lumen output with adaptable settings is a major factor.
Runtime: Firefighters require lighting solutions with long battery life to support extended operations. Rechargeable options or easy battery swaps ensure uninterrupted performance during emergencies.
Pelican thoroughly tests and validates lighting performance in a variety of environments before a light ever hits the field. Strict tests including those for ANSI compliance, NFPA compliance, and an IP-rating ensure our end users receive a product that’s proven to perform time and time again, backed with a limited lifetime warranty.
We have developed a range of lighting products specifically tailored to meet the unique demands of firefighting operations. Some of our most firefighter-focused solutions include:
Headlamps – Designed for hands-free use, our headlamps provide focused illumination without restricting movement. They offer adjustable brightness levels and a secure fit for helmets, ensuring a stable light source during operations.
Adjustable right-angle lights – Featuring dual beam distributions, these lights allow for both a narrow spotlight and a wider flood beam, offering versatility in different firefighting scenarios. They also come with integrated clip and split ring mounts for multiple attachment options.
Safety-certified lights – We offer a full suite of intrinsically safe lighting solutions designed for hazardous locations, ensuring compliance with the highest safety standards.
High CRI “Correct Color” Series – Accurate color rendering is crucial for identifying key details in emergency situations. Our high CRI LED lights enhance visibility, helping firefighters and rescue teams distinguish live embers, assess surface qualities, and navigate complex environments more effectively.
Pelican works with departments of all sizes on a global scale to inform our lighting solutions, beginning with the 2000 SabreLite, our first lighting product developed in the early 70’s. It begins by incorporating end users of our lighting solutions into the development process.
Our product decisions – down to specific features – are informed by the first responders that utilize our products in the field regularly.
Nate Quan
As the product moves from concept, to prototype, to final solution – we remain in lockstep with our partners, collecting feedback, testing specific applications, and refining the product to deliver a best-in-class solution.
Our 2755CC series headlamp was co-developed and used by Los Angeles Area Firefighters in the recent Southern California fires of 2025.
Different departments have different needs- some value rechargeability, some rely on alkaline cells. Our 9050 Lantern revolutionized the fire market by giving rescuers a high-intensity lantern with flexible fuel options and independent flood and spot beams.
Battery Indication: This is crucial to effectively manage an operation requiring remote lighting. Where feasible, we provide the user a visual LED indication of the state of their light’s usefulness. Every second counts – and knowing if you have enough light to support the entire operation is critical.
Glow-in-the-Dark Body Materials: Photoluminescent models that glow in dimly lit environments. It enables firefighters to locate dropped or misplaced lights in debris but also provides a visual indication of an individuals location for other team members.
Balanced Lumen Value and Runtime: What good is a super-bright rescue light if you’re getting minimal runtime? Pelican not only offers models with adjustable performance settings based on runtime or lumen output, but our engineering team also carefully looks at the performance itself. Models dedicated to the fire rescue community are carefully calibrated to offer the best lumen value, beam distance, intensity, and runtime- all guaranteed through the ANSI testing standard.
