VIRTUAL THREAT, REAL SWEAT

While traditional training methods such as drills, field exercises, and classroom sessions continue to be an indispensable part of emergency personnel training solutions, the major push now is toward developing new learning and assessment technologies, and incorporating them into the training mix. Online assessment databases, modeling and simulation technologies, and computer games are rapidly becoming more sophisticated and customizable, offering a cost-effective way to train emergency personnel, to gauge their competencies, and to deploy responders with appropriate skills to the incident site swiftly and effectively.

Even though virtual simulations are not a new phenomenon in training, computer-based simulation and gaming technology has moved into the mainstream of emergency response training in the past few years. The change has been swift. Whereas a few years ago staff in many local emergency response agencies didn’t even have personal computers, now the necessary computer technology is becoming more accessible, and virtual training is gaining approval as a younger, more computer-savvy generation is entering the emergency responder workforce.

While computer-based simulations hold great potential in emergency response training, many companies that offer customized and complete emergency preparedness solutions use the technology first and foremost as a way to supplement a wider training tool set.