Virtually Real
New York City has been on the receiving end of terrorism, and its officials have an urgent interest in preparing for future attacks. Their emergency-response training choices are therefore extremely important. To help gird its personnel for the next big event, the city's Office of Emergency Management has acquired a multistation ADMS-COMMAND virtual-reality training system from Orlando-based ETC Simulation, a subsidiary of Environmental Tectonics Corp.
ADMS-COMMAND is one of several training systems built upon ETC's ADMS (Advanced Disaster Management Simulator), a state-of-the-art interactive virtual reality simulation platform that depicts real-world situations to help train responders and test emergency plans. In ADMS-COMMAND, users face realistic incident scenes and utilize virtual resources to manage them.
The NYC OEM contract covers a multidiscipline team-training system and full library of customized scenarios, with an integrated after-action review and evaluation component. Officials will use it in their Citywide Incident Management System (CIMS) training.
"The idea of ADMS is that it's a bridge between classroom instruction and live field experience," says ETC Simulation Product Manager Adam McCard. "It allows trainees to actually work under the stresses of an evolving situation, with a realism you can't get with standard tabletops. Plus, you can prepare for events that are impossible to train as live exercises."
The realism ADMS presents includes high-fidelity 3D visualization with directional sound, and can be expanded into vehicle cabs/controls and motion platforms, and even scent simulation. Training staff run simulations from a facilitator station; trainees navigate customized geospecific scenes that can include local neighborhoods and structures, and manipulate virtual resources that reflect local capabilities. When they take actions, ADMS determines and depicts their real-time effect.
For large agencies and departments, a system of such complexity can run into six figures. But smaller agencies have options to utilize ADMS too: The company offers single-station systems that can be used in classroom-style instruction; training services using a portable five-station team system; and leasing arrangements for those not wishing to buy.
"It's a great way for smaller departments to experience the benefit of virtual training," McCard says. "It's still thought of as a new thing for a lot of people, and it lets organizations benefit from our latest and greatest developments without having to take ownership of the system."
This year, the company added a medical triage module to the ADMS-COMMAND platform. Users approach a virtual victim and get information on their illness or injury (including vital signs, etc.), then classify them and make transport decisions. More recently, it unveiled underwater search-and-rescue, advanced traffic accident and munitions train explosion scenarios.
To ensure accuracy and realism, these are all developed in conjunction with personnel who actually respond to such incidents.
"Everything in ADMS is designed in partnership with our user base," says McCard. "We don't work in a vacuum. We're the technologists and simulation experts; we work with the subject-matter experts who are our customers to develop the content. We have an active user group that meets with us here in Orlando each year for our international users conference, where we discuss how people are using the system and where they would like it to go. They really drive the direction we take it."
In recent years, the company has seen a groundswell of interest in its product from the emergency medical market. That helped spur development of the triage module, and will likely play a role in shaping future directions.
"There really has been an influx of interest from the medical community," McCard says. "Our initial focus was the needs of airport fire departments, but over time we've expanded into areas like hazmat and law enforcement and medical. That's where these capabilities are evolving, based on need. And certainly, the need for training our EMS workers is critical."
IN BRIEF: New York City responders are using virtual reality training to prepare for terrorism response
VENDOR: ETC Simulation; www.ADMStraining.com
ADMS Products
ADMS-COMMAND—Incident command training in single- and multi-agency operations from basic incidents to complex disasters.
ADMS-EOC—Tactical and strategic-level incident management training for Emergency Operations Center personnel.
ADMS-DRIVE—A full-fidelity multi-vehicle driving simulator platform to train emergency responders to drive under stressful conditions.
ADMS-ARFF—An aircraft rescue firefighting vehicle simulator that trains for positioning and turret operation.
Training Support
Those who can't purchase ADMS may consider leasing. ETC Simulation can provide full systems with qualified facilitators and instructors, if needed. Customized scenarios are available. For purchasers, ETC Simulation will train and mentor department facilitators.
