By: Lt. Arnold Piedrahita Jr., Public Information Officer
Miami-Dade (FL) Fire Rescue
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue’s (MDFR) Training Division recently took delivery of a state-of-the-art driving simulator. MDFR is the first and only fire rescue department in Miami-Dade County and the first in the United States to own the Doron 660 Driver Simulator. This technology will allow firefighters to enhance their driving skills as well as increase their confidence when operating a fire engine.
The Doron 660 is capable of simulating 102 different computer generated scenarios and will give the instructor the ability to modify and customize each one via a computer console. The simulator is encased in a life-size fire engine shell which is fully equipped with lights and sirens. Firefighters can respond to situations ranging from driving in the rain at night to a barn fire to responding to a plane crash on a busy highway in the snow. The simulator is also capable of testing braking reaction times and evasion maneuvers. The new simulator will allow drivers to operate a fire engine in a controlled, safe environment without the fuel consumption and wear and tear that comes with training on the road.
MDFR is not the only fire department to benefit from this simulator. A regional training program has been implemented to allow all municipal fire rescue departments within Miami-Dade County to use the Doron 660. The simulator was purchased through a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
