In cooperation with the Chengdu Municipality, VSTEP introduces a new earthquake disaster training environment for RescueSim. The new environment allows emergency response professionals to prepare and operate effectively after earthquakes.

Chengdu/Rotterdam, 6 October 2011 – As part of the ongoing expansion of its virtual emergency response training platform, RescueSim, VSTEP has launched its earthquake disaster training environment. The new environment allows emergency response professionals to prepare and operate effectively after earthquakes.

The new earthquake training environment was launched during a visit by a senior delegation of the Emergency Management Bureau of Chengdu Municipality to VSTEP Headquarters in Rotterdam last week. VSTEP, CYStone and Prof. Henk van Zuylen of the TU Delft have worked closely with the Chengdu municipality for the past years to tailor the RescueSim platform for the Chinese emergency services. The result is an innovative virtual platform that will allow the emergency services to train and prepare response strategies for earthquakes in the region.

The new earthquake disaster training was created in cooperation with the Chengdu authorities. Chengdu has a population of over 12 million and is the capital of Sichuan province, an active earthquake zone. In 2008, Sichuan was struck by one of the heaviest earthquakes in Chinese history with its centre a few kilometers from Chengdu, resulting in great loss of life and infrastructural damage. Chengdu municipality has emerged as the leading high tech center for the use of innovative technology in emergency management and response in South East Asia.

The new training environment including detailed parts of a large downtown city area, was integrated into RescueSim to allow emergency responders maximum immersion during training and prepare true to life response strategies. The downtown area was then torn down simulating a major earthquake striking the city and creating a realistic training environment.

The new earthquake training is the latest addition to the RescueSim natural disasters library, which incorporates response training for disasters like floods, storms, forest fires and other natural disasters. RescueSim currently includes 130 virtual incident locations in which safety and security professionals can build their rescue skills and practice alternative response strategies in a safe, low-cost environment.

The Chengdu Municipality has invited VSTEP to demonstrate RescueSim & introduce this new earthquake module at the upcoming West China Fair from October 18-22, 2011 in Chengdu.

For more information, visit www.rescuesim.com