The City of Calgary Fire Department and ConocoPhillips Canada Launch Innovative VR Program to Enhance Fire Safety Education
The City of Calgary Fire Department, in partnership with ConocoPhillips Canada, is proud to announce the launch of a virtual reality (VR) program aimed at revolutionizing fire safety education. The innovative VR program aims to empower participants with the knowledge and confidence to prevent fires and respond appropriately in emergency situations.
This immersive program, available in seven languages, engages participants to identify common hazards in a virtual home and mitigate a stove-top fire, which is the leading cause of residential fires in Calgary. These real-life situations can be experienced in a safe and controlled manner, providing a greater learning impact than conventional methods of fire safety education.
“The safety and well-being of our community is our utmost priority," said Mayor Jyoti Gondek. "By partnering with ConocoPhillips, we have created an engaging and interactive program that will educate citizens of all ages about fire safety, helping to minimize fire-related accidents and encouraging a mindset of preparedness within our city."
"The collaboration between The City of Calgary and ConocoPhillips exemplifies our shared commitment to community welfare and safety," stated Bij Agarwal, President, ConocoPhillips Canada. "We are excited to support the development of this state-of-the-art VR program. We believe it will increase the effectiveness of fire safety education, equipping individuals with vital skills that can have a direct impact on saving lives."
To kickstart the program's implementation, the Calgary Fire Department and ConocoPhillips plan to introduce the VR program to select schools and events over the next two years. This targeted approach will ensure that students, educators and community members who will benefit the most can take advantage of this immersive learning experience. After the initial rollout, the program may become available upon request to further extend its reach and impact.
"This program is a game-changer in fire safety education," expressed Fire Chief Steve Dongworth. "By using the power of virtual reality, we can engage and educate students in a manner that was previously unimaginable. We firmly believe this program will have a positive impact on fire safety behavior, empowering children in our community to become proactive in preventing fires and educating their parents on how to respond effectively during emergencies within their own homes."
The VR program was officially launched today at a media availability event held at Fire Station 16, with Mayor Gondek, Chief Dongworth and ConocoPhillips President, Bij Agarwal, all speaking. Junior Fire Chief, Brody Quinn, joined other school-aged children to test out the program, experiencing first-hand the innovative technology and interactive scenarios.
The launch of this VR program marks a significant milestone in fire safety education, ushering in a new era of interactive and immersive learning. The City of Calgary and ConocoPhillips remain committed to enhancing the safety of the community and are confident that this innovative initiative will make a lasting difference in fire prevention and emergency preparedness.
About the Calgary Fire Department/ConocoPhillips VR Fire Safety Program
·The cost of program development was funded by the Council Innovation Fund and sponsorship from ConocoPhillips. (Approximately $110,000)
·Hardware costs and annual costs for maintenance and support are funded by ConocoPhillips. (Approximately $25,000 for the hardware and $5,000 per year for maintenance and support.)
·There is one tutorial focused on spotting fire hazards in a bedroom, and four learning modules: how to mitigate a cooking fire, how to get out of a second-floor bedroom, fire extinguisher practice and a fire hose game challenge.
·The VR program will be launched in seven languages: Spanish, Arabic, Tagalog, French, Punjabi, Cantonese and English. The VR program will soon be launched in the Blackfoot language, Siksikáí'powahsin.
·The VR program is designed to present fire safety information, guide the learner in practice, then conduct an assessment of knowledge gained.
·The VR Program team engaged with the Calgary Public Library, Calgary Board of Education, Calgary Local Immigration Partnership, Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, Vivo and the Immigrant Education Society on the development of the program.
About the Calgary Fire Department
The Calgary Fire Department (CFD) is dedicated to serving Calgarians through excellence in fire prevention, education, protection and safety. With 43 stations located across the city, we are one of only seven accredited fire services in Canada. Our values of Pride, Professionalism, Teamwork and Respect guide our actions and how we work with the communities we serve. Learn more about the CFD at calgary.ca/fire.
About ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips Canada is the Canadian division of ConocoPhillips, one of the world’s largest independent exploration and production companies based on production and proven reserves.
Headquartered in Calgary, our world-class Canadian operations are comprised primarily of our 50% interest in the Surmont oil sands project in the Athabasca region of northeastern Alberta and the Montney unconventional development in British Columbia.
With a strong commitment to responsible operations and community engagement, ConocoPhillips actively contributes to the well-being and development of the communities in which it operates.
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