Enhanced dispatcher training for first responders

Firefighters work in hazardous conditions, and they are at a greater risk of injury and death than many other workers.

Proper training is critical to ensure the safety of first responders, and every fire department must take appropriate measures to protect its workers.

Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) has chosen Vertel to implement Beaconsim, a Finnish-based operative field communications simulator provider, to deliver enhanced training for first responders.

FRNSW recognised the need to invest in an online training solution that offered flexible and remote learning opportunities for its firefighters and used real-life scenarios that could strengthen and refresh pre-existing skills. It also had to be accessible from personal devices, including laptops, desktops and mobile phones.

Paul Barnes, Director IT Operations & Communications, FRNSW, said the Vertel team listened to FRNSW’s requirements and, along with partner Beaconsim, delivered a customised solution that would meet its needs.

Beaconsim offers fully-fledged solutions for critical communications training and planning for networks including TETRA, LTE, 5G, DMR, digital PMR, Tetrapol, Mesh, P25 and proprietary networks. The advanced radio command and control dispatcher simulators are reality-based, easily controlled by the trainer and designed to measure learning.

“With Beaconsim, the online training simulation is specifically tailored to FRNSW. Vertel and Beaconsim spent a week onsite looking at the operations and taking videos and recordings to create the best, most relevant online interactive training program. The program is designed so responders must walk through the training step by step before they can move on to the next part of the training,” Barnes said.

“The solution ensures that FRNSW receives quality training in a safe, low-stress environment, especially for its first responders who want to increase their level of knowledge. Once training is completed, they can leverage those capabilities in real-life situations where effective communication is sometimes the difference between life and death.”

Since implementing the advanced radio command and control dispatcher simulator, approximately 20% of FRNSW firefighters have participated in and completed the course, which is also available to new recruits and any firefighter who wants to refresh their knowledge.

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