Previous educational research on human behaviour during real-world fire incidents has shown that a lack of understanding of the spread and movement of fire often means that occupants are unprepared and misjudge appropriate actions. Further, research suggests that most people have trouble estimating the speed of fire and smoke growth and underestimate the dangers fire poses, which can lead to “irrational actions”. In fact, in a study by the Centre for Environmental Safety and Risk Engineering at Victoria University, Australia, of over 18,000 injuries and over 1,600 fatalities due to fire in the United States, five per cent of injuries and 5.2 per cent of fatalities were deemed to have been caused by “irrational actions”.
Research indicates that by utilizing VR technology, participants will be more prepared and less anxious to face fire-related emergencies and be able to identify potential fire hazards in their homes, and will communicate the information they have learned to others around them. Using a virtual reality (VR) immersive experience also allows CFD to reinforce the consequences of accidental fires by simulating a fire incident without putting anyone at risk and with the ability to tailor learning experiences to different audiences. Experiencing firsthand what it is like to be in a residential fire and extinguishing it or escaping it, for example, is both shocking and impactful. To leverage the benefits of the VR technology experience, CFD developed a Fire and Life Safety Virtual Reality education program and launched it in 2023. The VR education program offers a number of different simulations to address specific community risks such as cooking fires, hazard identification, importance of developing a home escape plan, etc.
By developing this program CFD aimed to increase fire and life safety education opportunities for Calgarians and reduce the risks of fire incidents including fatalities, injuries and environmental and property damage. With about one third of the city’s population speaking a language other than English or French at home, offering this experience in multiple languages was key to outreach. The educational program can be tailored to address the Top 5 spoken languages in the City of Calgary, including the Indigenous language Blackfoot. CFD targets its programs primarily to high-risk and vulnerable groups, as there is an extensive body of research that suggests that the risk of accidental fire and injury can be lowered through targeted fire and life safety education. By combining the VR education program with a robust community risk reduction plan, the outreach can be delivered effectively to high-risk citizens within a municipality.
This presentation will outline the strengths and learnings of developing a virtual reality education program alongside a robust community risk reduction plan, including ensuring engagement with key stakeholders and vulnerable groups. The presentation will also highlight the capabilities of creating a measurement tool to more accurately report on positive behaviour change within vulnerable populations.
Learning Objectives:
Identify the benefits of Virtual Reality programming within their local jurisdiction to better engage vulnerable and at-risk to fire populations.
Assess learning outcomes based on user results using innovative technology tools