Fire Control’s Dennis Westgeest wanted to build a labyrinth with a realistic fire simulation. Westgeest ended up with FireWare during its search for a partner who could help realise this goal. The ideas he had come up with could be perfectly realised with FireWare’s products.
Fire Control has had a very advanced emergency response simulator in place since January 2009, based on simulated fire. Westgeest walks through the sixteen different rooms with justifiable pride and talks about his satisfaction where FireWare is concerned: “You can really achieve something unique with a sparring partner like that!” The parties brainstormed together regarding a whole range of different possible designs. FireWare then designed the layout and everything was subsequently set up.
The diversity of different areas means all sorts of emergency response procedures can be practiced. There is a kitchen with a raging fire between the washing machine and a kitchen unit, a bedroom with a burning bed, a hospital ward with panicked patients and cries for help can be heard coming from a lift. The setup also includes a waste storage facility, an office and a workshop. The company can provide real customised solutions with this training procedure.
The emergency response team will never get bored, not even after several repeat courses. Westgeest: “We now have ten different scenarios, which we can change at any time we like. This will result in another completely different challenge. This is something which happens every year during the summer break as a matter of course.”
The scenarios are all controlled from one place. FireWare installed an easy to operate touch screen, which the trainer can use to coordinate when each disaster is introduced into the scene. It’s also possible to press a light switch in the scenario areas: one push of a button can turn the scenario on or off in that area or room. This allows for several groups to train at the same time.
Fire Control arranged for cameras to be installed everywhere. Students can therefore enter the different areas without the need for teachers to be present. They can be heard via a microphone and their actions can be followed from the ‘television’ area. The teacher will thereby acquire a complete image and the other students can see how their fellow students are doing. Westgeest: “This means they don’t just learn from their own experiences, but from other people’s too.”
