About
SafeStride is a firefighter safety product designed to improve visibility in low-visibility environments where situational awareness is critical. By adding a dedicated light source at the boot level, SafeStride provides an additional layer of visibility without interfering with turnout gear, movement, or existing PPE.
The idea for SafeStride came from firsthand exposure to the fire service. Founder Ashton Hampshire grew up around firefighting and he saw how often firefighters operate in smoke, darkness, and roadside environments where being seen can be a matter of safety. Those experiences highlighted a simple gap: visibility solutions that don’t account for movement at ground level. With further research finding out there is a large number of deaths in firefighters due to not being seen on the side of roadways.
SafeStride is being developed with direct input from firefighters and departments to ensure it works in real fireground conditions, not just in theory. The focus is on durability, practicality, and ease of use. All around focused on making you safer.
Currently in development, SafeStride is engineered with an emphasis on heat resistance, water resistance, and reliability in demanding environments. The goal is straightforward, improve firefighter visibility without changing how firefighters do their jobs.
Meet Ashton
Ashton Hampshire is a 19-year-old entrepreneur and the founder of SafeStride. Originally from Washington and later moving to Montana, Ashton is currently an student at Grand Canyon University in Arizona where he majors in entrepreneurship with a minor in professional sales.
Growing up around the fire service, with his dad serving as a fire chief, Ashton gained firsthand exposure to the risks firefighters face in low-visibility and roadside environments. Those experiences became the foundation for SafeStride, a firefighter safety product focused on improving visibility in smoky structures and on roadways.
Ashton recently competed in Grand Canyon University’s Shark Tank-style competition, where SafeStride earned second place, the People’s Choice Award, and the Lux Manufacturing Award, recognizing the product for innovation, craftsmanship, and real-world impact.
Today, Ashton continues to develop SafeStride with direct input from firefighters and departments, with a focus on reducing roadway incidents and helping firefighters stay visible and safe on scene.
