Legal Niches

MD Fire Department Opts for Virtual Driver Training

By pete_gallagher

Maryland's Anne Arundel Country Fire Department is about to receive a brand new, $315,000 training simulator that will allow fledgling firefighters to practice driving without having to leave the firehouse.

Current training is done in real trucks, which is cost prohibitive and dangerous—the department had 671 vehicular accidents between 2003 and 2008, costing taxpayers an estimated $3 million and injuring 41 firemen—according to local CBS affiliate WJZ.

The story offered the nugget that 'crashing in a simulator is not as dangerous' as in real life.

The federal government was said to be picking up most of the tab for the simulator.

The accompanying image shows a similar simulator from Doron Precision Systems.

Full post as published by GamePolitics.com on June 25, 2010 (boomark / email).