Using Simulations to Train First Responders

A Presentation of Training Simulations

Introduction of Simulations as a Training Tool

Using Computer Driven Simulations

Introduction to Simulations

• Games and Simulations are Often Confused as being the Same Thing

• Games are– Mostly for entertainment with a small degree of

learning– Real World is heavily abstracted or ignored

• Simulations are – Mostly for learning with entertainment as an attention

getter/keeper– Real World is heavily represented

The Training Process

• How do Simulations Train?– A Real World scenario is pulled from experience. It is

represented within a Simulation Tool– All of the critical factors for success or failure are

represented within a Simulation Scenario as Decision Points

– The Simulation Scenario presents a sequence of Decision Points to the Trainee

– The Trainee uses classroom training and experience to make proper decisions

– The Simulation uses the decisions to guide the Trainee to a conclusion of success or failure

– The Simulation can be used by the Trainee/Trainer to revisit each Decision Point for evaluation

Real World Scenarios

• Research of Topic to find Examples– Pull from historical references– Pull from experts’ experiences– Pull from personal experiences– Pull from current news articles

• Sort Examples– For similar events– For similar results– For similar actors

Find Critical Factors

• Analysis to extract Critical Factors from examples– Critical Factors are blocks of information that

tell the Trainee what is happening and what could happen

– The analysis requires situational knowledge to determine the critical nature of found Items

The Decision Tree

• The Decision Tree is built by the Trainer Team using– methods and processes from the Standard

Operating Procedures Manual– experiences of the Training Team from known

bad decisions of prior Trainees– experiences of the Training Team from known

good decisions of prior Trainees

A Simulation Run

• During the Simulation Run, the Trainers should be monitoring the Trainee for– activities not captured by the Simulation Tool– failure of the Trainee to follow the Simulation– the Trainee is either too aggressive or too

cautious

During a Simulation Run

• The Trainee should feel “In” the Simulation

• The Trainee should be using– what he learned in classroom training– what he learned during prior simulation runs– what is commonly called “common sense”– what he learned during other training

Evaluation During a Simulation Run

• When the Trainee reaches a failure point– The Simulation would communicate with the

Trainee about • why and how he failed • what they could have done differently• offer an opportunity to re-enter the simulation at a

prior point

– The Simulation would communicate with the Trainers about what decisions were made

Evaluation During a Simulation Run

• When the Trainee reaches a success point, the Simulation will ask– does the Trainee understand how he got to a

success point– does the Trainee wish to review any part of

the Simulation to see if he can do it better

Post Simulation Run Evaluation

• The Trainer Team must– evaluate the Simulation for achieving the

goals of the training– evaluate the Trainee for understanding how

he succeeded and/or how he failed– evaluate the overall Training program to

determine if Training goals are valid

• The Trainee must review with the Training Team how he succeeded and/or failed

Building a Simulation

Considerations and Parameters of a Simulation

What Makes a Good Simulation?

• Entertainment– While not as entertaining as a game, it must be entertaining– It must engage the attention of the Trainee enough to draw the

Trainee into the Simulation• Accuracy

– The Laws of Physics must be obeyed unless an Abstraction is required

– The Laws of Society within the context of the Simulation must be obeyed

• Minimum of Abstractions– Abstraction should only be used when the Simulation would not

function properly without It.– An Abstraction must always have an Actor between it and the

User. For example,

Parameters of a Simulation

• What Goes Into a Training Simulation?– Doctrine of the training organization– Expectations of the Trainers– Accumulation of experiences– Accumulation of intelligence on the

Opponent

Building a Simulation

• Identify the purpose of the training• Identify the audience of the training• Collect and prepare the material for the training• Identify the scenarios that are the vehicles for the

training.• Prepare a “story board” describing the training• Select a Simulation Tool that aligns with the needs of the

training.• Create a Simulation for each Scenario• Test each Simulation with Trainers• Test each Simulation with a Select Set of Trainees

First Responder Example

• Regular city patrol officer• How to handle a “Secondary Bomb”

terrorist incident• Research current training procedure and

devise new training procedures for scenario

• Select a Scenario in a major public mall• Create a directed graph of scenario• Simulation Tool will be HTML Web Pages

“Secondary Bomb” Scenario

• The Scenario has the following structure:– The Primary Target is First Responders

• Kill and/or maim as many First Responders as possible

• Cause First Responders to fear responding to follow-up incidents of similar nature

– The Secondary Target is Civilians• Kill and/or maim as many civilians as possible• Cause civilians to doubt the capabilities of First

Responders to handle similar incidents

Planning for Attack

• Scouting for a suitable location– Large crowded site– Lines of sight to site from general parking

locations

• Preparing explosive devices– One small but high wound producing device– Two large directional killing devices

• Plan for moving devices into position• Plan for remote detonation of devices

Structure of “Secondary Bomb” Attack

• Initial Incident (1) is at the entrance to a public place, i.e. a mall.

• First Responders’ vehicles arrive closest to incident (2).

• First Responders move to incident site (3) to help victims.

• When maximum number of First Responders and civilians are present, detonate secondary directional bombs (4).

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2

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4

4

Constructing a Decision Tree

• A Decision Tree is a directed graph containing nodes at each Decision Point

• The Nodes of a Decision Point are– Information needed for decision– Options to decide upon– Consequences for each option

Directed Graph of Selected Scenario• Introduction: Patrolman,

Ron, is reporting in for morning shift.

• 001-Briefing: Ron attends morning briefing on the day’s activities.

000

Introduction

001

Briefing

002

First Decision Point 002

• 002 – Read Notes: Ron reads notes on terrorist activities. Ron wonders if there is info not in notes. Does Ron go to his friend that tracks terrorist groups or goes directly to his patrol work?

002

Notes on Terrorist Activities

003

005

004

Talk with Dispatch and Pickup Patrol Car

Talk with friend who has up-to-date info on terrorist group that uses bombs to kill government officials

The Rest of the Decision Tree

• The previous slides show the beginning of the Decision Tree

• As the Decision Tree from the book indicates, a Decision Tree can be extensive

• The expected training results determine the size and extent of the Decision Tree

Evaluations and Results

• When the Trainee reaches a Terminate Node, the results of his decisions are given.

• The results contain an evaluation of the Decision taken and the Consequences to the Trainee and those who were working with him.

Conclusions

• Simulation is an excellent tool to train First Responders in anti-terror methods

• Simulation requires effort, knowledge, and skill to make it work

• The effectiveness of simulation training is directly proportional to the commitment of the organization in making it happen