| Year Funded: 2011 | Budget: $199,167 | Funding Agency: Workers’ Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) |
|---|---|---|
| Title: | Serious Games to Decrease Injury in the Fire Service by Training Safer Movement Patterns and Decision Making Skills: Development and Piloting | |
| Category: | Intervention Research | |
| Subcategory: | Intervention Research | |
| Keywords: | firefighters, video gaming technology, training, decision-making, ergonomics | |
| Link to research website: | https://www.wcb.mb.ca/sites/default/files/files/Manitoba%20Project%20FINAL%20REPORT_FINAL_V4.pdf | |
Issue:
Fire fighters regularly encounter hazardous situations. The project will use video gaming technology to develop and test training modules focusing on two areas of significant health risk: safe lifting and cognitive decision making. The “serious games” format of the training modules will provide fire fighters with a safe learning environment.
Objectives:
The project will:
• Characterize the various fire fighting tasks required by firefighters to perform at typical call scenarios;
• Assess the level of risk associated with performing the various tasks so that the most relevant tasks can be selected for further use in the prototype;
• Develop a serious game module for fire fighters implementing the various lifting techniques required during numerous call scenarios as well as in the fire hall depicting the correct techniques to be utilized;
• Gather data on the forces being applied when performing the functional tasks, so that the actual forces can later be incorporated into higher levels of the game;
• Use the cognitive game module to test performance under conditions of increasing thermal strain while wearing the protective clothing;
• Evaluate the developed game modules to ensure that both game modules meet the training needs of firefighters and are fun and enjoyable to play.
Anticipated Results:
The project will provide firefighters with the opportunity to practice lifting and complex decision making in a safe environment, strengthening these skills for hazardous real life situations. The game potentially could be adapted for other occupations at high risk for lifting injuries and/or high levels of decision making skills required under pressure such as nursing and other emergency responders.
Investigators:
Bernadette Murphy (University of Ontario Institute of Technology)
