VR Fire Safety Training

Is it possible to receive fire safety training without having to deal with actual fire? Thanks to VR, or virtual reality, technology, yes. In this article, you will learn about the advantages of this type of training, including how modern technology supports firefighters in developing their skills and how it can help other employees to prepare for scenarios involving fire during workplace emergencies.

What is VR technology?

Virtual reality (VR) is a term used to describe a three-dimensional world created by a computer. This technology allows real situations to be replicated in safe, simulated conditions. During VR training, the user interacts with the world around them, in which they make their own decisions and observe the consequences of their actions. In other words, they experience various situations without having to leave the classroom.

What is VR fire safety training?

VR fire safety training takes place under controlled conditions using augmented reality technology. Equipped with VR goggles and controllers, the trainees can play out different types of scenarios and prepare for a range of emergency situations. For example, during virtual reality fire safety training, employees can be tasked with evacuating a burning building while learning basic skills on how to behave in the face of a potentially dangerous situation.

As a result, they can learn how a fire hydrant, fire extinguisher, or call point works and what to do if they notice a fire or smoke. VR fire safety training also gives companies the opportunity to personalize the exercise to the exact layout of their building, the view through the window, or the sound of their alarm. That is why this type of training can benefit both professional firefighters and ordinary employees during workplace emergencies.

Why use fire safety VR training?

1. Employees learn more effectively through experience – through virtual reality fire safety, they can better imagine real-life situations.
2. VR encourages creative thinking – the opportunity to assume a certain role and experience a new situation is engaging for participants of VR fire safety training. Being able to see fire or smoke through VR goggles forces trainees to think creatively and take action.
3. VR fire safety training fosters the exchange of experiences – thanks to immersion in the virtual world and the powerful experience that VR technology guarantees, those taking part in the training feel the need to discuss what they have seen, which fosters the exchange of experiences and ideas, allowing participants to gain a better understanding of the topic.
4. Fire safety VR training encourages employees to train – training using VR provides an entirely different experience, making it a popular choice. Trainees can experience situations that are impossible to replicate in a training setting – fighting a fire, dealing with panicking co-workers, or needing to evacuate.
5. Virtual reality fire safety training positively affects information retention – course participants remember the detailed information contained in the training long after the course is completed as their experience is more advanced and lifelike than in traditional methods.

Virtual reality fire safety training – a whole new level of training

Virtual reality in fire training helps trainees absorb knowledge better as training takes an alternative form. For example, the training sessions do not use videos or paper materials, and there are no lectures – that is, the traditional materials used in training. Instead, participants don VR goggles and may have sensors placed on their bodies to record their movement. This gives an entirely different feel to the training environment, which is essential for fire safety training.

Fire safety VR training allows experiential learning so that the skills learned during practice in the virtual world stay in the memory for longer. Subsequently, such individuals demonstrate high competence in rescuing and helping others in a fire emergency. The fact that trainees are wholly immersed in the virtual environment and are not distracted by the outside world also positively affects them, making them maximally focused on the task at hand.

VR fire safety training – train your employees to a higher standard

Developments in technology, including augmented reality, have led to the creation of more effective, efficient, immersive, and realistic ways to train people in how to act in various scenarios. These issues are particularly relevant to fire safety training, as VR technology provides users with a practical experience of being in a burning room, having to help victims, or using a fire extinguisher to put out flames. Through this, they are confronted with real situations instead of theory. They also learn stress management and decision-making skills under challenging conditions. These benefits make fire safety VR training incredibly valuable and an excellent choice for developing the staff in any business.

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Author: Rafał Siejca

Rafal has over twenty years of corporate experience, including roles at Millennium Bank, Comarch, and leading software teams at PZU, one of Europe’s largest insurance companies.As one of Poland’s few true VR experts with a decade of experience, he ensures timely, high-quality project delivery as CEO and CTO.