How do you get all facets of an airport incorporated in a training exercise hall of about 10 x 15 meters? With this question, Schiphol fire department came to FireWare at the end on 2015. After intensive designing the first modular trainingcenter is a fact! Challenging training exercises for the fire department and first responders, every day again in an always changing training environment.
By using multiple cubes that can be connected to each other like a lego-box, practically every facet of the airport can be replicated. Including the accompanying dilemma's.
Object saturation is a big risk when building a training center. How do you make sure a center is furnished in such a way that there's a challenge for every participant, on every level, year after year? At Schiphol fire department this has been solved by using modular structures. By arranging the cubes differently each time, a different base construction is created. Multiple different types of floors, ceilings, walls and doors can be placed inside the modules. Even stairwells, simulated elevators and even a simulated escalator are building blocks within this modular concept.
For exercise with a motor chainsaw, there are simulation roller shutters on which the saw can actually be used. Also, there are forced entry doors to practice other ways of entering a space. There are more than enough power connections available for powering all the simulation equipment. The units can be connected together which makes the needed (electronic) infrastructure quickly deployable.
Different floor- and ceiling elements can be used. For example, a fire can be simulated in a lowered ceiling. Or under a computer floor.
Apart from that there's a big diversity on wall types: Wooden walls that can have decor pieces attached easily, gaze walls for simulation in luggage cellars and technical areas, but also magnet walls with photo prints which can make the illusion of an airport complete.
The training center will be used by both fire department and first responders on Schiphol. For both target audiences there's more than enough challenge. Exchanging walls and doors can be done in a few minutes. In half a day bigger transformations can be made: From departures to luggage cellar, from technical area to hotel: The possibilities are endless!
Would you like more information about this modular exercise concept? Please don't hesitate to contact us!
