Fire Training via Computer

Fire Training via Computer

Why do trainee pilots use a flight simulator? The obvious answer is that it avoids disastrous mistakes that would be expensive in terms of loss of life and property. The same reasons can be given for using a fire simulator; the only difference being that while it is rather obvious when a pilot errs, fire brigade mistakes are often destroyed by the fire.

It is necessary to train a person to take command of a fire; yet command and control training is often neglected or given a low priority. In the majority of fires, it’s the officer in charge of an incident who is responsible for the success of the firefighting operation. If this officer makes the wrong decision, commits his resources in the wrong area, or makes an error of judgment in relation to the amount of equipment required, it will be very difficult for a senior officer taking over command to recover the situation. Officers depend on experience rather than training to prepare themselves for command.

Although experience plays a very important role in relation to all aspects of fire service work, we would not dream of allowing a man to wear selfcontained breathing apparatus (SCBA) in a fire without proper training in its use-even though he may have had considerable experience with fires. Yet, we are prepared to allow a man to become an officer and to take command of resources and men, to make life and death decisions without any training whatsoever. The man in question may have considerable firefighting experience, indeed that may have been one of the reasons for his promotion, but I contend that firefighting and command and control of fires are completely different tasks. A man who might be excellent at dealing with fires operationally may prove to be a disaster when he is required to take charge of the situation.

It would appear, therefore, that there are two problems: selecting the correct man to be an officer; and, once having selected him, providing proper training. The fire training simulator can provide an answer to both problems.

The simulator is based on an Apple II micro-computer and associated equipment. Using this machine, a computer program has been developed that enables the person using it to take command of a simulated fire situation and to attempt to bring the incident under control using the resources available to him. He can deploy men and equipment and call for further assistance in order to deal with a very realistic fire. If he makes mistakes, this will be reflected in the progress of the fire. If he does nothing, the fire will continue to burn until the building is destroyed.

What does the fire training simulator do?

The simulator program operates in two sections: the fire situation, over which the student has no direct control; and the command section, that the student uses to make decisions and over which he has complete control.

One of the main features of the fire simulator is the vast number of realistic fire situations that can be used. The instructor sets up the fire situation, selecting the type of building he requires, the exact location where he wishes the fire to start, and deciding on the speed of fire spread. He is thus able to start a fire in a ground-floor room that is fitted with a half-hour fire resistant door and have the fire spread up the outside of the building. The next time the instructor uses this situation, he can leave the fire door open and the fire will spread up the staircase.

In the first building being used on the simulator, the fire can be made to start at any one of 12 points and can be made to spread at any one of six speeds at either the front or back of the building. The number of different fires that can be simulated runs into thousands. Having done this, the instructor can then decide what point he wishes a fire to have reached on arrival of the firstarriving unit.

The instructor can create a new fire or he can select an incident from a prerecorded library of fires. This system has created, for the first time in the fire service, a method of storing experience and using it to train others. Having selected the fire he wishes to use, the instructor can then decide to use standard options, meaning that the fire and all operations will take place in the time sequence that they would at an actual fire. If the instructor decides not to use the standard options, he can build in skill factors to cater to the more advanced student. For instance, the instructor can increase the speed of development of the fire, forcing the student to make very quick decisions. He can decrease the duration of the SCBA, forcing the student to obtain further resources and to deploy them correctly.

It is impossible for a student to beat the simulator, as it can be speeded up to such a degree that the fire develops faster than the trainee can make his decisions. After creating the incident and setting the options, the instructor takes no further part in the exercise until the debriefing.

The student is not dealing with a machine that will give him instructions on how to use it. When the student indicates that he is ready to start the exercise, the incident begins. The first thing that will strike the student will be the liveliness of command. The computer will record and react to every decision made. It will calculate the amount of water he uses and will cut off his water supplies if he runs out. It will calculate the amount of air in SCBA, and men will be lost if they are allowed to continue to work without sufficient air. The simulator will evaluate the actions taken to control the fire and adjust the fire conditions accordingly. The computer will record the resources used and deduct them from the resources available. It will refuse an order if the resources are not available to carry it out. The simulator will continue to act in this manner throughout the course of the fire. The student is put under considerable pressure and learns lessons that will stand him in good stead at real incidents. When the fire is under control or if the instructor decides to terminate the exercise, the computer will produce a printout which can then form the basis of a debriefing session.

How the fire training simulator was developed

Experience plays an important part in a firefighter’s training, and the time required for a fire officer to gain practical experience depends on the number of incidents to which he responds. If training is to be effective and efficiency maintained, then it is necessary for the brigade to look at methods that can make up for shortfalls in experience.

Before commencing a project of this nature, it was necessary to establish the advantages that this type of training would have over conventional methods of instruction on fireground decision making:

• Having had some basic instruction and experience in techniques, the simulator can demonstrate to the student what the effects of applying these techniques are.
• The student learns how to respond to a situation in which there is some degree of uncertainty, thus reinforcing his learning. In the same way, the simulator can reveal to the instructor what the student has not grasped, so that extra training can be concentrated in particular areas.
• Using the simulator at a pace and speed similar to real life, the student is subject to the need to respond and make decisions under stress. His reactions, initiative, and ingenuity under these conditions can be observed. If operated at a slower speed, the simulator can be used as the centerpiece for group discussion and/or demonstration.
• When played in a real time frame and without interruption, a full record of events and decisions simulated can be produced by the computer for use in any exercise debriefing.
• Exercises can be run as frequently as the instructor wishes and without the need for “real” training materials.
• The computer and the simulation exercise can be made available to students outside normal training periods so that they can examine problems and work out solutions of their own.
• In general, the simulator involves the student in a greater number of “experiences,” and the lessons learned are retained.
• The simulator is flexible and produces a number of random factors that enables the instructor to create various fire situations.
• To develop a fire simulator using a computer with almost unlimited storage capacity would have been easy, and many companies would have been prepared to undertake such a project. However, other considerations came into play and the vital objectives of the project were stated as being:
• The portability of the entire teaching machine. The ability to transport the simulator to any location is necessary if its full potential is to be realized.
• The ability to deal with individuals in relation to their level of experience and rank. It also had to be possible to train a firefighter to take command before he assumes it at an actual incident.
• The simulator must also be capable of being used for group work and assist in encouraging personnel to work together.
• It must be possible to use the simulator to evaluate different firefighting techniques.
• The simulation must take place in real time and at a controlled speed in order to stimulate group discussion.
• The simulator must place a student under stress and force him to make decisions on which the result of the simulated incident will depend and on which his performance can be assessed.
• The micro-computer must be capable of being developed into a complete training package. It must also be able to teach subjects of a theoretical nature, such as chemistry and hydraulics, in addition to practical firefighting. The simulator must also be able to teach subjects such as financial control to officers at a higher level.
• As computers become part of our day-to-day life, it is important that fire officers are aware of the capabilities and methods of using these machines. The equipment must, therefore, be available for other purposes.
• The system and its equipment must be sturdy enough to enable it to be taken to fire stations and used by different groups and individuals.
• 4Our experience has shown that people using this type of equipment become very involved in the subject and thus retain more of the knowledge being given. Any program developed for simulation must be of a level that will produce this stimulating effect.

The simulator as part of a training program

When developing the simulator, two factors were considered to be of prime importance: it had to be developed using lowcost equipment, and it had to be portable.

No matter how much money is spent on alternative training methods, they cannot compete with a computer based system. The cost of the equipment plus the program is around £3,000 ($6,500). This training tool is probably the most cost effective that has ever been developed in the fire service, thanks to the low cost of the micro-chip.

The portability factor allows the training to be available to everyone in the brigade. The simulator can be used with or without an instructor, and can be taken to remote stations for evening or weekend training sessions.

The people who benefit most from this type of training are newly promoted officers and persons about to be promoted to officer. The next group to benefit are the more experienced firefighters and officers, who can use the simulator for refresher training.

The simulator is used to form the core of a training theater. The student and observers occupy one room, the instructor, radio operator, and the simulator are housed in another room. The communication between the two rooms is by radio. The student has two video monitors in front of him, one showing the simulator display and the other a videotape showing a fire company enroute to an incident and the fire on arrival. The student sends his commands to the simulator control by radio; the instructor enters the commands into the computer. The atmosphere created by the videotape (with its associated fireground noises and distractions), the use of radio, and the realistic fire created by the simulator increase tension to a level found at a real incident.

The instructor can lower or increase the level of tension by using the radio to ask for further information or by passing information to the student that will increase the number of problems he has to deal with. It has thus been possible to create a very sophisticated, yet portable command theater at low cost. Still, the same equipment can be used by one man on his own at a remote rural fire station. It’s clear that the main advantage of the fire training simulator is its flexibility.

• The simulator should be totally flexible so that the factors involved in the incident can be varied to produce different results.
• The system should be capable of expansion to enable it to deal with the more complex incidents.
• The simulator should be simple to set up and use without the need for intensive training in its use or lengthy instruction manuals.
• The information on which the simulation is based should be given in visual form without the need to study detailed written descriptions.
• The system should not involve high maintenance costs.

Simulation phases

The simulation of the fire can be considered in three phases: the set-up phase; the exercise itself; the debriefing session.

The set-up phase involves the instructor, who decides which fire situation to use. Having selected a situation, he then builds random factors into it. It’s possible for the instructor to start the fire in any location in the building. He can control the speed of development of the incident and he can build certain factors into the situation to increase the complexity of the incident. Factors over which he has control are:

• Time of the incident (day or night)
• Occupancy of the building (sleeping risk, age, and mobility)
• Internal layout of the building
• The position of internal doors (open or closed)
• The wind speed and direction
• Adjoining risks (exposures)
• Location and flow of hydrants
• Contents of the building in terms

of additional hazards (propane cylinders or stored paraffin).

The instructor will be able to determine the pattern of burning that will take place. Each room will be monitored as to the rate of fire and smoke spread. If, for instance, the instructor decides that the fire will start in a first floor bedroom, he can establish a rapid spread of smoke as well as fire. This, in turn, will determine how long the student using the simulator will have to carry out a rescue before death takes place.

The instructor also has the ability to use some factors that the computer will feed into the situation at random. These factors can take the form of a burst length of hose, failure of the water supply, non-arrival of the second-due company because of engine failure, problems with radio communication, complaints that certain action is not being taken, etc.

Having set up these factors, the simulator is now in the exercise phase and can be used by the student. The student will receive information on available resources and the environment- from then on, he’s on his own. The video screen will provide him with information and will give him the opportunity to make decisions. Information will also be passed from the printer. From this mass of information, the student will have to form a plan of action and carry it out as quickly as possible. The fire and smoke are moving up their development curves, damage is being done, people will die, and the fire will spread. Only the student using the simulator can stop it.

Information gathering, firefighting, and rescue commands will only be accepted by the simulator if there are men and equipment available and not already committed to other tasks.

The deployment of equipment will take time (as in an actual fire incident) and there may be random interruptions. In computer terms, the student is trying to deploy his equipment effectively to stop the development of the fire combustion curves. The sooner this is done, the less “damage” there will be. Similarly, from a rescue point of view, the student is trying to deploy properly equipped firefighters in an attempt to get occupants out of the various rooms before the fumes reach “death” level. The final duty of the student is to keep informed about what’s going on and make sure that other services (such as ambulance, water, and gas) are informed of the incident’s progress.

Anyone wishing to obtain further details of the fire training simulator should contact: Mr. L. West Managing Director Bradford University Research Ltd. University of Bradford, Bradford, England

“Fire simulation is a three-phase operation:

1. Decide the fire situation
2. Run the exercise
3. Conduct an in-depth critique/’

What are the alternatives to a simulator?

If it is accepted that taking command of a fire is a task of such complexity that it requires some training, then the methods of providing such training must be examined.

The most obvious method is an exercise either at a fire station or at a location that might be a large fire risk. In organizing an exercise of this type, many hours are spent ensuring that the proper equipment and personnel will be available. Such exercises serve a number of purposes, but many are organized with the sole intention of teaching command and incident control to the officers in charge. The resources required are numerous and involve expenditure on fuel, loss of productive working time, wear and tear of equipment, and disruption of other duties. Often, personnel taking part in these exercises become bored and disillusioned with this form of training.

There have been a number of attempts to create a simulated situation in order to avoid these problems. Such efforts have ranged from simple floor plan exercises using model buildings and equipment which are moved around. This method of simulation has a long history originating for military purposes where it proved to be valuable in the deployment of troops and evaluation of battle maneuvers. I cannot see any value in this type of exercise in relation to the fire service as the fire situation being simulated is static and the reaction of the student to a changing situation is not tested.

Another method of simulating incidents is to use audio-visual methods of creating a fire that the student has to bring under control. The problem with this lies in the interaction of the created fire situation and the commands given by the student. The changing situation must be controlled manually by operators. Human factors become involved and the operators act as umpires. This type of system is very expensive to set up and requires a considerable amount of staff to run. It is very limited in the number of different fire situations that can be created and has been overtaken by the computer age.

When one considers the amount of information that a computer is capable of dealing with and the number of calculations it can carry out per second, it is obvious that as such equipment decreases in size and cost that, herein, must lie the answer to the fire brigades’ need to realistically simulate a fire situation. In the past, people have tended to underestimate the complexity of fighting a fire. Even experienced officers have not realized the vast number of fire situations and the numerous combinations of methods that might be used to deal with incidents.

The trainee’s commands will go into the computer and the exercise will play itself out. As it does so, the computer will prepare a printed log of all the events that have taken place: fire development, information received, commands and reports given. -¶

As with any conventional exercise, the debriefing phase is a vital part of the simulator’s role. The information provided by the simulator for debriefing purposes is far more extensive than that normally provided at an exercise:

• The exact amount of water used will be recorded. This will be compared with the optimum that should have been required.
• Every message will be timed and recorded. The officer using the simulator will be able to retain an exact record of his actions.
• The computer will survey each room and evaluate the damage done by fire and smoke to each room, the structure, and the contents.
• The material produced on the printer can form the basis of a critical discussion between the instructor and • the students. Each decision made can be examined and studied in detail. Following the discussion, the simulator can be rerun, this time taking the course of action decided by the group.
• It will be possible to use these sessions to develop pre-fire plans for . specific buildings in a company’s response area. This way, problems with resources and water supplies can be dealt with before an incident takes place.

The success of a project such as this depends on user reaction. There is lit* tie point in developing something that members of the fire service are going to * reject as a useless gimmick. For this reason, an evaluation phase was built into the development program. During this phase, when a crude Mark One version was available, over 400 members of the brigade attended demonstrations and operated the simulator, allowing us to tap a wide range of experience in relation to the fire situation.

Further evaluation was carried out by visiting fire stations and a log book was maintained of every suggestion made at this grass-roots level. The results of these tests were incorporated into a paper, permitting work to proceed on the Mark Two version. This present simulator, developed by a team of fire service members, is described as a revolution in fire command training.

What will be the future development of the simulator?

One of the fears expressed by people considering the use of computer assisted training is that the equipment will become outdated or that it will be limited in the scope of the training material available.

At the moment, the simulator is based on one building, a large Victorian house. This building was selected due to the wide range of uses that such houses are put to. It could be occupied by one family, have been converted to flats or offices or be a residential home or a hotel. Houses of this type are found in most towns and cities. Due to the wide variety of fires that can be developed and simulated in this type building, it’s not possible for a student to say he has mastered the simulator.

Of course, there are many risks that a fire officer has to deal with other than large Victorian houses, no matter how wide their variety of uses. It is, therefore, proposed to produce a series of different incidents located in a variety of buildings. Work is already taking place in relation to simulating a fire on a ship. Brigades that have purchased the simulator will be offered the new incidents as they become available.

“A multi-service major disaster simulation will allow all agencies to observe the effects that their decisions will have on the operation of each other.”

The simulator could also be used to pre-plan a large-scale major disaster. The various response agencies see the same incident in different ways, and often the various personnel are working at cross purposes. If a multi-service major disaster simulator was developed based on the existing simulator, it would enable teams from all the emergency services concerned to gather and to interact with a major disaster model. All services would be able to observe the effects of their decisions on both the incident and on the other emergency services, leading to greater understanding among all emergency personnel involved.

I believe that we have only scratched the surface of the many uses of the micro-computer as a training aid. Never before have we had the ability to evaluate so many combinations of actions at incidents and to relate that to a realistic fire situation. The microcomputer will continue to develop in the field of simulation due to its ability to handle so much data so quickly.