Firefighters entering unsanitary and cluttered environments face serious dangers.
They can become trapped and disoriented when pulling their hoses through piles of materials and the water stream can knock down these piles, cutting off the firefighters’ exit routes. Gasoline, pressurized bottles and stacks of newspapers are all highly flammable. Finally, because the extreme weight of hoarded items on the structure can create structural integrity problems, the added weight of water during fire suppression can cause entire rooms to collapse.
In collaboration with the Ontario Fire Marshal, Modeltech is currently developing a simulator to help train first responders on how to safely approach such environments. More information will be unveiled in upcoming editions of the Hazard Herald as the project evolves.
UPDATE: The Hoarding Simulator is now available as part of our Custom Designs series!