Danny Vartan grew up in Bergen County, NJ just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. He was always fascinated by firetrucks and admired Firefighters and wanted to be a volunteer firefighter like his older brother Jeff who would take Danny with him on fire and emergency calls at all hours of the day and night (this was at a time in the late 70s and early 80s when the town’s volunteer firefighters kept their turnout gear in their personal cars and responded directly to the scene) so that he can watch, learn, and also help the firefighter’s clean and roll the fire hoses after a fire was extinguished.
During the Summer of 1988, Danny’s life was profoundly shaped by two pivotal events. On June 24th, he had a fateful encounter with a remarkable individual who left an indelible mark on his life. Fate would reunite them 21 years later, with this person becoming a source of inspiration and unwavering support for Danny’s dream of creating innovative LED road flares. Their encouragement provided the critical “PUSH” he needed to overcome years of challenges, turning his ambitious vision into reality.
On August 20th 1988, Danny fulfilled his lifelong dream and became a volunteer firefighter when he joined a fire department which had a response area that covered several sections of the NJ Turnpike (I-95) and Route 46 in Northeastern NJ.
During Danny’s many years responding on busy highways with several fire departments and a heavy rescue squad, he learned from firsthand experience that while operating at motor vehicle crashes that First Responders needed a brighter and longer lasting portable traffic warning device that would be much more effective than the commonly used 30 minute burning flares which present a fire danger at incidents involving leaking flammable liquids such as commonly found at a motor vehicle crash.
Danny has since developed groundbreaking safety products, including the BEACON-4-LIFE road flare/flashlight, EMERGI-SAFE road flare/flashlight, and ECO FLARE road flares/flashlights. These devices deliver advanced, eco-friendly, and highly visible warning for roadside emergencies, urging oncoming drivers to slow down and move over—just as traditional incendiary flares have done for decades, but with far safer, state-of-the-art LED and lens technology.
Danny also achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first to offer an LED road flare capable of operating on both Alkaline and LiFePO4 rechargeable batteries in the same unit. This innovation eliminates the need to choose between battery types, offering users the flexibility and benefits of both in one product.
In addition to these innovations, Danny has created other cutting-edge LED safety devices, including the BodyGard personal safety light and Traffic PRO traffic baton.
To this day, Danny’s work remains steadfast in preventing roadside incidents like the one depicted in the photo—a tragic collision involving a disabled vehicle in the left lane of a busy New Jersey highway being struck from behind. With a commitment to redefining safety for both First Responders and civilians, Danny designs innovative products that prioritize reliability, versatility, and exceptional performance, ensuring safer outcomes in every emergency scenario.
