Volunteer firefighters in the state of Victoria, Australia will soon have access to virtual reality (VR) training that is set to be provided throughout the entire state.
The VR training program, developed by Flaim Systems and Deakin University, is designed to simulate dangerous fire scenarios such as house and plane fires. It uses a combination of real firefighting equipment, such as breathing apparatus and hose reels, as well as automated sensory perception devices, such as hot water bottles, to mimic the visual and sensory sensations of a real fire.
The training program consists of two components – the Flaim Trainer and the Flaim Extinguisher – which will be released to train over 30,000 volunteer firefighters during the year.
Victorian Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville said the training program would help teach firefighters the skills they need, while also minimising the costs associated with real-life training scenarios.
“It will give our working volunteer firefighters the opportunity to expand their skills without putting themselves in danger, and it will allow the CFA to expand its practical training to include more complex scenarios, such as airplane fires, without the cost of performing that scenario in real life,” he said.
“We ensure that emergency services have the tools and resources they need to keep the community safe – this includes a significant investment in the training capabilities of volunteers on the front line”.
The development of the VR training program is funded through a $60 million investment that was launched after the massive wildfires that struck the state of Victoria in 2017.
