A virtual reality training program for Victoria’s volunteer firefighters is to be rolled out across the State.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Lisa Neville said the state-of-the-art program, Virtual Firefighter, simulated dangerous fire scenarios such as house fires, grassfires and plane fires to teach life firefighting skills.
“Similar to flight-simulator technology but designed specifically for firefighters, the Virtual Firefighter training program will enhance firefighting skills in a low-risk environment and without the logistics and cost of burning physical assets,” Ms Neville said.
“Using a combination of real firefighting equipment such as breathing apparatus and hose reels, as well automated sense-perception devices such as heat pads, trainees immersed in the virtual reality program – FLAIM Trainer and FLAIM Extinguisher – get to experience the visual and sensory feelings of being in a fire,” she said.
“The initial concept for a virtual reality firefighting training system came from Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteers themselves and has been in development since 2017.”
Ms Neville said the technology, developed by FLAIM Systems in partnership with Deakin University, had been blind-tested by 329 CFA firefighters across 30 brigades.
She said CFA purchased five FLAIM Trainer and 10 FLAIM Extinguisher systems and would roll out the virtual training program to its more than 30,000 volunteers this year.
“[The program] will give our hard-working volunteer firefighters the ability to extend their skills without exposing them to danger,” Ms Neville said.
