Abstract
Many domestic fires start with small outbreaks that can be controlled with the use of correct extinguishing methods. Portable extinguishers can be found in many residential buildings and public areas, being designed so that any citizen can use them, with a basic level of knowledge. In this study, 25 volunteer participants, from 3 European universities, practiced in virtual reality scenarios, such as a kitchen fire, a train or an industrial area. This made possible to select and use the appropriate extinguishers, in order to improve their safety knowledge and skills. Thanks to this graphical tool, participants could face violent fires with no risks, experimenting the suitability of different extinguishing agents and methods. A questionnaire was answered by participants before and after the practical session, so the acquired knowledge could be compared with the previous one, obtaining positive results.
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Acknowledgments
This study was possible thanks to the collaboration between the University of Zaragoza and the Fire Service of the Zaragoza City Council. The authors would like to thank the inestimable help of the firefighting instructors: Ángel López Gascón, José Manuel Romeo Callao and Miguel Gorría Lázaro. Finally, special thanks go to Dr. Pilar González Vera, for her help in the translations of the instructions given to the participants during the practical stage of this study.
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Cartiel, A.R., Asión-Suñer, L., García-Hernández, C., Ubieto-Artur, P. (2024). Do We Know How to Use a Fire Extinguisher? Training Unexperienced Citizens with Virtual Reality. In: Manchado del Val, C., Suffo Pino, M., Miralbes Buil, R., Moreno Sánchez, D., Moreno Nieto, D. (eds) Advances in Design Engineering IV. INGEGRAF 2023. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-51623-8_18
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