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Video Game Prepares Firefighters for Chemical Attack
Carnegie Mellon University graduate students are developing a video game that could train firefighters to respond to a chemical attack, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported today (see GSN, May 3). The game, called “Hazmat Hotzone,” simulates the release of hazardous materials. It allows for control of factors including which chemicals are released, how many causalities result from an incident and weather. This allows instructors to prepare firefighters for different scenarios. “We left the expertise in the hands of the instructor,” said Shanna Tellerman, the game’s producer. The game is meant to supplement live training drills and studying. Tellerman said once completed, the game would simulate incidents in five or six settings. Only 2 1/2 scenarios are now finished. “It’s a very robust prototype at this point,” Tellerman said. “A lot of it is just finishing the functionality.” However, the project is running low on money. To this point, the Pittsburgh university has paid for development, with support from a $10,000 donation from Microsoft. Tellerman said she needs an additional $2 million to hire more designers and $5 million to include more first responders in the game. She hopes for money from the U.S. Homeland Security Department. Once completed, Tellerman plans to distribute the game at no cost to fire departments across the country (Dan Carnevale, Chronicle of Higher Education, June 24).
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