Hennepin Technical College Incorporates FLAME-SIM into Degree Program and Regional Training

Hennepin Technical College in Minnesota has incorporated the latest in training simulation software into their Fire Degree program. In May of 2010 Hennepin Technical College (HTC) purchased a FLAME-SIM Rugged Mobile Center which they have incorporated it into their IFSAC Accredited Fire Degree Program that serves several hundred career, paid-on-call, and non-affiliated fire students on two separate campuses. In addition to the simulation training that occurs on campus, HTC also travels to various fire departments throughout the Midwest to conduct FLAME-SIM training. HTC joins fire departments and technical colleges across the US and Canada in the integration of FLAME-SIM into fire courses and continuing education classes ranging from Firefighter 1 and 2 to Incident Command and Officer training.

HTC Fire Training Coordinator, Bernie Vrona has been conducting the training sessions and is excited about the results he has been seeing; “FLAME-SIM has been incorporated on-campus into the “Firefighter 1” class to show how command functions and communications work. In the “Company Functions” class, students are given opportunities to serve in various command and crew roles to help develop critical thinking skills, improve their communication abilities and understand the relationship and impact that one crews’ efforts has on the other crews working the incident. FLAME-SIM has also been utilized effectively in Fire Officer and command classes”.

In addition to the success in the academic world, HTC has also been seeing significant results while traveling with the Rugged Mobile Center to local and regional fire departments. “Off-campus, the FLAME-SIM trainer has been used at departments to help them examine their current command structure, look at their SOP’s, improve communication, and discover improved ways of arrival and vehicle placement” Vrona commented. “We have also seen fire fighters experience low air, high heat, and disorientation due to low visibility which has led to Mayday activations, RIT involvement and very real situations during what seemed like very typical fire-ground response”.

FLAME-SIM is a 3D real-time simulation training software that is used to train fireground communication and decision based procedures. The customizable software is being used in fire departments and academic institutions throughout the US and Canada and proving to be a powerful and effective training tool.

For more information about Hennepin Technical College and their use of FLAME-SIM or to schedule a time for HTC to customize a training program to visit your department or organization with their Rugged Mobile Center please contact Bernie Vrona at [email protected] and at http://www.hennepintech.edu/customizedtraining/cts/35

For FLAME-SIM pricing or to receive an Interactive Demonstration Disc of the simulation software please visit www.flame-sim.com or contact Erin Farrelly at 877 FLAME 01 or [email protected].