Case Study

The Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) required a fire training facility that provided realistic fire scenarios allowing staff to gain practical experience in a safe environment.
 
After an international selection process, Chubb Fire Australia in partnership with International Fire Training Equipment Ltd (IFTE) were selected to develop and install a simulator fire training facility at the RAAF base located in Amberley, Queensland.
 
Following two years of development, installation and testing, the fire training simulator represents the most sophisticated LPG training facility in the world and utilises patented technology to re-create a host of training scenarios for aviation, industrial and domestic fire environments.
 
The training facility comprises three separate scenarios and was installed using Chubb's project management and support infrastructure

An aircraft simulator similar in design to a Boeing 737 that replicates fires within the internal seat and storage areas, flashover fire scenarios and external wing engine and undercarriage fires.

A fuel spill simulator covering an area of 150m2, with a mock FA18 fighter jet located in the centre. The instructor is able to "grow" the fire across the area and, when fully alight, the flame height in the centre will reach a minimum of six metres.

A structural fire trainer in the form of a two-storey building designed to enable compartment fire training. The lower floor provides an industrial unit scenario whilst the first floor simulates office or domestic scenarios. 

The computerised control centre ensures that all scenario parameters and allied safety systems are in use before training can commence. The computer enables the system to automatically control the size and signature of the flame whilst detecting the type and quantity of media applied.

The operating system offers a level of fire control not previously found within Australia and is capable of electronically logging all fire scenarios in order to compile a host of information for debriefing and OH&S purposes. These include the temperatures reached within a training compartment, the duration and intensity of the fire, the student's effectiveness in extinguishing the fire and other such critical data.
 
The training facility is the first in the world to actually simulate extinguishing media being applied in order to limit the impact of the training on the local environment and reduce training costs.
 
An aircraft simulator similar in design to a Boeing 737 that replicates fires within the internal seat and storage areas, flashover fire scenarios and external wing engine and undercarriage fires.
 
A huge water treatment plant has been constructed allowing contaminated 'run off' and training water to be collected and re-used.

An innovative computerised element of the operating system enables the staff to simulate generic forms of media whilst in reality only applying water. This helps to reduce the quantity of real media being applied which reduces the cost of training. The system is also capable of allowing real media to be used to enable the students to reach their desired level of competency based training.