Virtual reality helps fight fires

VIRTUAL reality screens and equipment was set up at the Leongatha Fire Station on Sunday, to give volunteers the opportunity to try out the new training technology.
The equipment gave volunteers the opportunity to experience what it is like to combat fires in a range of scenarios, particularly beneficial to smaller, isolated brigades.
CFA computer simulation specialist Aaron Stockton said the virtual reality training tools gave volunteers an opportunity to experience training scenarios that weren’t easily replicated in a live environment.
“Using virtual reality, we are able to replicate a scenario and put the volunteers into it and then use that as a discussion point,” he said.
“It really immerses the user in the scenario, which can be a more effective way of learning.”
Mr Stockton said the technology allowed volunteers to be put in situations that can’t be replicated in a live environment easily.
“The other benefit is the training tools are portable. We can bring them to brigades, which you can’t do with a live environment,” he said.
Training officer from Yanakie CFA Mark Wrigley said having access to new technology like virtual reality could be a way to encourage more people to join the organisation.
South Gippsland Group of Brigades group officer Walter Aich said the virtual reality scenarios gave a level of realism to training.
He said the virtual reality training provided a safe way for volunteers to get a feel of what would normally be a more dangerous situation.
“It is certainly a good way to introduce people to training,” he said.
Mr Aich said the upcoming fire season could be impacted by relatively low levels of soil moisture.
He said East Gippsland fire restrictions could come in as early as September 1.
“While the grass looks green, there is a very serious soil moisture deficit, particularly in forested areas and the northern slopes are likely to dry out quickly,” he said.
“Having said that, the last two seasons have been ordinary and we managed to get away without too many serious incidents.”

Great tool: CFA operations manager Mick Harris and South Gippsland Group of Brigades group officer Walter Aich tried out the virtual reality training system, Flaim, at the Leongatha CFA Station on Sunday.

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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Aug 14 2018. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry