The Nederlands Instituut Publieke Veiligheid (NIPV), is one of the first institutions to use AR in firefighter training. Using Apple’s AR headset, trainees can experience virtual flames, smoke, and environmental sounds projected into their real surroundings, without the risks of live fire. This makes training much safer and more eco-friendly, but also more cost-effective (Experimenten met Augmented Reality in Brandweeropleidingen – BrandweerNederland.nl, 2024). Imagine projecting a blaze into a classroom and practicing response tactics in real time. That’s a real game-changer for building awareness and tactical skills.
However, an important question is left: How safe is it really?
Although I haven’t used AR myself, it’s clear that virtual training can’t fully match real-life conditions. Fire is unpredictable, and so are the environments in which firefighters operate. The physical feeling of the heat so close to you, the pressure of a chaotic scene, and the emotional intensity are all elements that AR can’t yet replicate. That is why I think real-life training remains essential in later stages. AR is a great way to build foundational skills and awareness, but when it comes to preparing for the realities of firefighting, nothing beats the real thing.
On the sustainability front, AR offers a lot of advantages. It reduces the need for physical materials, minimizes travel, and lowers the environmental impact of traditional training setups. According to NXT Interactive (2024), AR aligns with global sustainability goals by cutting down on resource consumption and carbon emissions associated with conventional training methods.
But what do you think? Would you feel safe knowing your local firefighters are partly trained with AR? And where should we draw the line between innovation and realism?
References
Experimenten met Augmented Reality in brandweeropleidingen – BrandweerNederland.nl. (2024, 20 juni). BrandweerNederland.nl. https://www.brandweernederland.nl/nieuws/experimenten-met-augmented-reality-in -brandweeropleidingen/#:~:text=Het%20Nederlands%20Instituut%20Publieke%20Veiligheid,bent%2C%20een%20stuk%20realistischer%20dus.
NXT Interactive – Transforming Sustainable Training with Augmented Reality (AR). (2024, 31 december). NXT Interactive. https://www.nxtinteractive.sg/blog/transforming-sustainable-training-with-augmented-reality-%28ar%29
Great observation, on one hand using AR for firefighter can reduce both loss of resources and chances of work floor accidents, but on other hand we have to also take into account how human brain treats different scenarios when stakes are different. In case of training in an AR headset Firefighter can’t develop the most crucial skill, that is confidence. Confidence comes from practice and when the practice is treated just as a video game(with no real consequences) it can lead to low confidence. During a fire, when panic sets in, as much as the training of a fire fighter their demeanor and their confidence in their ability matters a lot. Therefore, in my opinion, training for the jobs in which both skills and emotions play a big role, should involve both Virtual training using AR technology and also in-field training to cover all the bases.
I agree that augmented reality (AR) offers significant potential for training in high-stakes environments. This is particularly relevant in the early stages of firefighter training like you highlighted, where AR can help build a strong foundation of skills. The comparison between the realism of real-life training and AR is an important one.
While AR provides strong visual and auditory immersion, the physical aspects of real fire, such as heat and smoke, add critical stress factors for trainees. A promising future direction might be to combine AR with controlled physical elements, such as heat and artificial smoke, to create more comprehensive and realistic training scenarios.
AR also introduces opportunities that go beyond realism. For instance, AR could provide real-time feedback on trainee performance, as well as collect more data on the performance of a trianee. AR could track trainee reactions, decision-making speed, or errors in real time, offering insights that are difficult to capture in live-fire settings. Hopefully, this could increase training efficiency.
I think this is a really interesting and original example! I agree with the idea that Augmented Reality is a great step forward for both sustainability and safety purposes. The concept of simulating higher-risk events without exposure of trainees to real-life hazards is a great idea. It seems like a good way to create awareness, as well as the foundational skills.
Simultaneously, I do share the concern about the realistic world. The extremely stressful situations firefighters encounter are, in my opinion, impossible to fully substantiate with AR. I think the best option would be to combine AR with real-life training. In this way, the firefighter trainees can benefit from both the safety and efficiency of AR, while also gaining real-life experiences to be fully prepared.
I think the sustainability perspective is really interesting, as I did not really think of minimizing travel, energy use, and fuel. This also aligns with further climate purposes. This is a crucial advantage of implementing AR, which organizations should take into account more.