Hiram – Hiram firefighters recently participated in emergency vehicle operations training with the assistance of a state-of-the-art emergency vehicle driving simulator. The simulator was rented from Cuyahoga Community College for the purpose of expanding upon each Firefighter’s previous experiences and trainings. All Hiram firefighter are required to complete hours of driver’s training in each vehicle and an Emergency Vehicle Operations course before operating a vehicle with lights and sirens. The simulator is an impressive computer that consists of three large screens that simulate front and side views of driving. The operator’s console is fully functioning, right down to the power seat. If you bump a curb, car or other object you not only hear it you feel it in the steering wheel and seat. The whole simulator moves as you accelerate, slow down and make turns. It is as close as you can get to driving a fire engine, without really driving. Another great feature is that the instructors have the ability to simulate vehicle failures. The instructors can causes tire blow outs, brake failures, and other problems to assist the Firefighters in handling a problem in a safe, controlled environment, not on the street. This is a great tool for us to not only gain experience behind the wheel in a controlled environment, it allows for training in critical thinking and decision making as well.
