Environmental Tectonics Corporation Announces that the Largest Disaster Management Simulation Training Center has Opened at Korea's National Fire Academy
SOUTHAMPTON, Pa., March 22 / -- Environmental Tectonics Corporation (AMEX:ETC) ("ETC" or the "Company") today announced that the Korean National Fire Service Academy (KNFSA) has opened their Advanced Disaster Management Simulator (ADMS) Training Center in South Korea. ADMS is ETC's virtual reality based team training system, which provides emergency responders an opportunity to develop skills and exercise plans. KNFSA contracted ETC to provide their training system due to ADMS' proven performance around the world and its unique capabilities including dynamic physics-based threats, precise evaluation tools and ease of use.
The KNFSA ADMS system is being used to provide advanced training for all Korean fire service officers in low and high-rise internal structural firefighting, industrial and hazardous material fires, major road traffic accidents, urban search and rescue, and mountain wildfires. This system was installed in Cheonan, South Korea. With twenty networked training stations this the largest ADMS installation to date.
The high-fidelity virtual environment created for the KNFSA encompasses nearly 200 square miles and features the crowded urban city regions and mountainous rural areas uniquely representative of Korea. Given that the dense and heavily populated Korean cities make it especially difficult to realistically train for massive incidents or natural disasters, KNFSA turned to ETC for simulation-based training. The KNFSA environment also features suburban residential areas and a commercial/industrial area. The ADMS Scenario Generator allows KNFSA to develop an unlimited number of training scenarios, from small, simple incidents to major mass-casualty disasters.
Captain Tae-Mi Kweon, KNFSA's Training Director, stated, "ADMS allows us to activate an entire city's fire service response resources and test, train and improve coordinated operations, plans and communication. This is the closest thing to being there, and not only does ADMS provide invaluable realistic experience, but it also provides our people the feedback to continually improve skills and tactics. It's actually better than being there."
This system represents the launch of the next generation of the ADMS engine, the third major revision of the platform since its initial deployment in 1994. Beyond many significant enhancements to underlying technology, the latest version of ADMS has the following new functionality:
oSupport of up to 50 training stations
oAbility to import existing models and environments created in most 3D
formats
oUpgraded graphics engine
oAbility to simultaneously display over 300 high-fidelity SmartModel
autonomous entities
oTrue 3D terrain with related physics for liquid and gas flow, fire
spread, & walking/driving algorithms
oInteroperability with ADMS-DRIVE system
oNew scoring & evaluation tools, compliant with NIMS/ICS standards,
including a dynamic organization chart
oDegrading structural integrity of burning buildings
oEnhanced animation & behavioral intelligence of non-player entities
(injured people, crowds/riots, onlookers)
oUpgraded Scenario Generator allowing users to create & modify custom
exercises
The ADMS system at KNFSA is being used to capacity on a daily basis with a full training schedule for all of 2007.
ADMS: Bridging the Training Gap
Over the past twelve years, authentic simulation training with ADMS has proven to successfully help bridge the gap between tabletop training and real world experience. Many users such as Pennsylvania's Southeast Region Counter- Terrorism Task Force, Baltimore-Washington International Airport and the Netherlands' Institute for Safety have benefited from ADMS' proven capabilities to improve operational imperatives and reduce costs. The transfer of training for responders participating in ADMS exercises has been statistically proven to result in saving lives and damage mitigation in real- world emergency situations.
Availability and Procurement
ADMS systems provide emergency responders with highly efficient and effective incident command team training. Buyers have the option of purchasing ADMS Training Services on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis, or acquiring ADMS Systems as long-term leases or lease to buy. ADMS Training Services and Systems are available for procurement through Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant programs for US customers. Over $2 billion in DHS allocated funding is currently available through open grants for Fire Departments, Emergency Management Agencies and Port Authorities.
ETC designs, develops, installs and maintains aircrew training systems, public entertainment systems, process simulation systems (sterilization and environmental), clinical hyperbaric systems, environmental testing and simulation systems, and related products for domestic and international customers.
Source: Environmental Tectonics Corporation
CONTACT:Duane D. Deaner, CFO of Environmental Tectonics Corporation,
+1-215-355-9100, ext. 1203, Fax, +1-215-357-4000
Web site: http://www.etcusa.com/
