Virtual Platforms Use for Community Disaster Preparedness

Community Preparedness will make the difference in the degree to which citizens will be capable of assisting each other until more substantial help can arrive. There are many training programs and exercises available throughout different communities at this time, but all of these require in-person attendance at some level with expenses for travel, and sometimes days away from work and family. Use of "Virtual Platforms" allows us to prepare with the same components of training, often with greater effect*1 and facilitation of collaboration of disparate units. To date, there have been developments for singular portions of training online, with dedicated software programs, but these do not actually allow the degree of personal investment which a 3D Virtual World does. To this end, Community Preparedness and Disaster Team Coordination Training are being developed in such virtual platforms as Virtual World College and Second Life. Recent studies in the use of immersive, avatar-based training, indicate that subliminal and insidious learning can raise the normal 40% real lifelong "classroom learning retention" rate an additional 39% using virtual avatar immersion. This means that the overall retention rate has now almost doubled with exposure to immersive learning,without requiring participants to leave home.

Building on this precept that absorption learning is exponentially more effective, Catastrophic Planning and Management Institute has created a virtual world "Community Command Center". This center can serve operationally to enable immersive training in easily customizable sequences. For this purpose many kiosks should be made available. From each of these kiosks, avatar participants may choose every component with which to build their training scenarios including integrated communications. Individual pre-training with Continuing Education Unit credits and Certifications are also available and will become more-so as we are able to integrate University courses.

An 8 language choice-capable kiosk has been created. Additional starter kiosks are in development from which to acquire the following components and build community specific scenarios for instruction and training:
1) Disasters of all kinds can be available to be used individually or in combination. (virtually created immersive hurricanes, pandemics,
HAZMAT, medical emergencies, etc.)
2) Physical destruction and personal damage components can be selected. (buildings which can virtually collapse into pieces and be rebuilt
with the touch of a button, virtual utilities damage in conjunction with many real life utilities companies,virtual flood damage,virtual
explosion damage, victim injuries, and exact damage replication templates from real disasters can be virtually duplicated and used)
3) Terrain and environment templates as well as virtual holodeck capabilties will be able to switch from pre-damage environments to post-
disaster ones.
4) Communications can become fully inter-operable with real life components such that the transfer of information can be web based or inserted
into the virtually damaged world as a risk communication component. Internal and external program media, such as live
real-life and virtual "c-span type" television coverage and recording, can be integrated.
5) Pre-built and custom scenarios can be developed as needed and then immediately be altered as scenarios unfold.
6) Logistics centers will become available to provide custom virtual equipment and materials resources.
7) Field manuals, training texts, and policy guidelines can be accessed directly through the web for use and integration or can be downloaded
to be accessed in the virtual space to be utilized in concert with training developments and community specifications.
8) Virtual land can be acquired and utilized, altered, maintained and stored or returned on a per use basis with no long term investments.
Community Disaster Preparedness Training in a virtual environment may be used as a means to facilitate collaborative learning. Each person, citizen or responder can be individually represented by an avatar or virtually intelligent "bot", in a basic-level or specialized training course, as well as in advanced custom scenario situations. The pre-programmed and virtually intelligent "bots" can assist as victims, evacuees, or responders, while training and scenarios change. The versatility and the higher level of integrated learning retention may be significant factors in considering use of Virtual Platforms for Community Disaster Preparedness Training.

Copyright Pending Dr Paula Smith CP-MI 2010

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