Fire Service College demos contribution to UK national resilience

The Fire Service College (FSC), the specialist training facility, has showcased its advanced training capabilities and growing role in UK national resilience during a recent media visit.

Operated by Capita, the College combines state-of-the-art virtual reality (VR) technology with extensive live training facilities, allowing firefighters and emergency responders from the UK and allied nations to practice dealing with complex emergencies in realistic and controlled environments.

Capita’s 320-acre site includes ultra-realistic training structures such as the M96 motorway, a derailed train carriage and aircraft training frames. These facilities enable emergency responders to practice their skills in scenarios designed to replicate the demands of real incidents, from transport emergencies to complex fires and structural incidents.

The College’s Immersive Skills Lab adds another dimension to this training, using VR technology to recreate challenging situations and allow trainees to develop decision-making, situational awareness and incident management skills.

Why the College is more focused on emergency preparedness and UK national resilience

As the UK faces an evolving security environment, the College is placing increasing emphasis on national resilience and preparedness. Capita and the College have a key role in protecting RAF personnel and assets across 38 bases. Under the Defence Fire and Rescue Project, Capita supports fire and rescue services and training across UK and overseas bases, working alongside RAF firefighters.

Hume Jones, Managing Director for Critical Services at Capita, said: “National resilience starts with preparation and that’s a major focus for us at the College. Emergency responders need the skills, experience and confidence to make critical decisions under pressure. There is range of different challenges they are likely to face. For example, a major transport incident, a complex fire or an emergency affecting essential infrastructure.

“Capita is proud that the Fire Service College brings together specialist instructors, realistic live training environments and innovative immersive technology to help people prepare for those challenges. As the threat landscape evolves, it is vital that our civil emergency services and defence partners have opportunities to train together, develop their capabilities and strengthen their readiness.”

Since acquiring the College from the UK Government in 2013, Capita has invested in modernising its facilities and training programmes, including the introduction of VR technology to complement practical exercises.