Procuring training facilities to fight fires at sea
Fighting fire at sea is an incredibly confronting circumstance. But to make sure New Zealand’s water vessel crews can learn to do it safely in a state-of-the-art facility the New Zealand Maritime School is creating a new type of classroom.
Students using augmented reality (AR) in training. Photo: supplied.
People who must manage the risk of fire in sea environments are set to get a new training facility.
New Zealand Maritime School (NZMS) has used GETS to deliver a state-of-the-art firefighting training facility.
NZMS is owned and operated by MIT which from next year will join together with Unitec to become the country's largest on campus provider of vocational training.
Unitec and MIT Operations General Manager Dan Brady says GETS was incredibly useful for the project, the creation of a vital facility for learners entering the marine and maritime industries.
"GETS helped make it happen. It is an amazing project with real life implications for everyday people."
The key purpose of the facility is for the NZMS team to train people to become crew on super yachts, cargo ships, and transports.
"For people who need to manage fire on vessels, training is critical," said Dan.
The facility, its construction to start shortly, includes a live fire facility, live fire training with search and rescue, and foam training suppression for marine and land-based firefighting.
"People need to know how to suppress the fire, protect, and minimise damage all while have the mental fortitude to manage something so confronting. This can only be achieved in reflecting a live fire environment. This is what we are creating."
GETS removed a lot of the administration and dealing with multiple queries of a similar nature, said Dan.
GETS also reduced non-compliance on the agency's side through its design, he said.
"Knowing we are compliant, and the vendors have met the reduced risks we would otherwise have to mitigate."
The fire training facility tender was separated into 2 aspects on GETS, the live fire training facility, and augmented reality (AR).
"The use of AR enables us to provide a greater array of situations where students can apply their skill sets on top of the live fire situations.
"We're pleased with the solution we've secured. We're lucky in that we have a fantastic internal procurement lead who did this hard work."
This project is also generating wider economic benefits for the whole community.
“What we are building is the reinvigoration of maritime education in Auckland. The facility is being built in New Zealand by New Zealand companies. That means jobs and money coming back into the local economy.”
Dan Brady Unitec and MIT operations general manager
