For the first time ever, fire academy recruits in Elk Grove and Galt are using virtual reality technology to train. It may seem like a video game, but the lessons are very real. They’re designed to help firefighters spot dangerous situations before they turn deadly.
Entering a burning building filled with thick smoke and 1,200-degree temperatures is one of the most dangerous things firefighters can do. Now this virtual reality technology is allowing Cosumnes Fire District crews to come face to face with flames without ever leaving the classroom.
“This isn’t a made-up world, these are real-life situations,” Battalion Chief Rick Clarke said.
Dr. Kevin Mackey, the Fire Department Medical Director, tried out the 3-D headset for the first time on Thursday.
“You put on a goggle and you feel like you just stepped into the room,” Mackey said. “You can look up and actually see on the ceiling you can see the fire moving across the ceiling.”