[Fire Engineering]

This fall, the Drivewise specialized 3D training team, with support from software partner FutureShield, were in Midland, Ontario, to begin two days of incident command training in the virtual world with the Midland Fire Department. The e-Semble XVR simulator used in Midland includes multiple environments such as a residential center, harbor, campground, airport, train station, petrochemical facility and others. The simulator allows fire departments to design their own training scenarios within a 3D environment. Twelve Midland firefighters participated in the exercises.  …

The first step in training included basic joy sticks skills. Students first learned how to move (stand, walk, kneel, crawl), look around, and use equipment such as binoculars, SCBA (self-contained breathingapparatus) and LEL and Survey Meters. Training was provided in a multi-screen environment with an instructor, facilitator, and student PC. The instructor controlled the scenario as the student moved through the 3D environment making decisions based upon the conditions they found at the site. Depending on the performance of the student, the facilitator was able to add or remove threats by responding to the decisions the student made.  …

It was fascinating to watch seasoned firefighters command a virtual response for the first time. The generation gap many would perceive was not evident because the real world was duplicated virtually complete with adrenalin and surprise incidents. A group critique completed each scenario so students could learn from each others’ experience which meant that monitoring the scenario offered as much benefit as being on the joystick and commanding the incident. Students often referred to requiring other first responders’ involvement such as EMS. The XVR system will facilitate multiple roles and multiagency response if in the future the Town of Midland wants to involve other responding agencies.Instructor/Facilitator Gary Mason provided the training as a consultant to Drivewise, and is also a member of the Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service. “I like training within the virtual reality world using XVR, because it adds a new dimension of reality to scenarios. In the past we looked at pictures on the wall and then went to tabletop exercises with hot wheel cars and cardboard construction houses. XVR takes imagination and play acting out of it, and puts the responder into the real scenario in a way never possible before,” he said.

Read the full article here: http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2011/11/3d-virtual-reality-training.html