By Timothy E. Sendelbach, Editor-in-Chief, FireRescue magazine

This article is Part 1 of the editorial supplement Simulations: The Future of Fire Service Training, sponsored by FLAME-SIM, LLC, and featured in the November issue of FireRescue magazine. Read the other articles:
• The Science Behind Simulation
• The Simulator Roundtable
• Make It Real: Key Elements for Building Simulation Programs
• Simulation Pays Off

On Jan. 15, 2009, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and the crew of US Airways Flight 1549 safely landed a commercial airliner in the Hudson River just 6 minutes after being disabled by a flock of Canadian geese. The incident would later be described as “the miracle on the Hudson.” But truth be told, this was no miracle. And it wasn’t the result of first-hand experience. The survival of those 155 people was the result of standardized, predictable actions developed and refined through training—simulation training.

As the number of fires continues to decline with the advancements of public education, enhanced fire protection systems and early detection/response, so too do the experience levels of firefighters and fire officers alike. Although simulations can’t replace street-level experience, they can effectively prepare a firefighter or fire officer for the real thing. They enhance crew continuity, refine company-level performance and establish a firm understanding of high-risk, high-stress decision-making comparable to the emergency scene. Modern simulations are fast becoming the tool of choice in developing today’s fire officers and their crews for the challenges they will eventually face.

This editorial supplement introduces you to tactical simulations and how simulation training can be used in a cost-effective and realistic training environment. Most importantly, it provides the information you need to build support for implementing a simulation training program that increases your personnel’s safety and operational effectiveness on the fireground.

Copyright © Elsevier Inc., a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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