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
