12 DuPage County Fire Departments Acquire Regional Driving Simulator

DUPAGE COUNTY, IL - Twelve fire departments in DuPage County have joined together in a cooperative grant to receive a Regional Driving Simulator, according to a news release. This apparatus will allow firefighters to proficiently and routinely train in vehicle operations.

The twelve fire departments include Addison, Bensenville, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Glenside, Itasca, Lombard, Oak Brook Terrace, Streamwood, Villa Park, Wood Dale, and York Center, according to the news release.

Simulation training has become a standard in the training of firefighters since fire apparatus collisions are the leading factors in traumatic firefighter deaths in recent years. Departments that fail to train their members in vehicle operations are putting themselves and their community at an increased risk. Fire departments who use the driving simulator have proven that simulation training can reduce fire apparatus collisions.

The simulator will be on display at the Addison Fire Department for the rest of August. It will then alternate between the different fire departments for one month at a time, starting with Villa Park in September, Kassondra Schref, communications manager for the city of Elmhurst.