Imagine an EMS unit driving to an emergency call — one minute its daylight and dry, then it starts to rain. Now, throw in darkness and some falling snow, an icy road, then add some wind and a flat tire for good measure. Those driver training conditions can’t happen during a 10-minute session in reality, but with the Shawnee Safety Center new driver simulator, anything is possible.

A new state-of-the-art driver training simulator, which allows this is set up at the Shawnee police training building on the campus of Gordon Cooper Technology Center. The driving simulator can train EMS personnel, law enforcement officers, firefighters, city employees on a variety of situations or road conditions they may face while driving city or emergency vehicles. Whether its a  EMS unit, police car, a fire truck or other vehicle, the simulator provides many different types of training situations.
While there’s three video screens to simulate the front windshield and side windows, everything else about the vehicle is realistic, from the seat and seat belt, the steering wheel and gear shift and even the gas pedal and brake. It even sounds like a real car with a key start.
Along with speed and fuel gauges, there’s other gadgets like those used in emergency vehicles, from a button for emergency lights and sirens to a communications radio.

A given situation was responding to an emergency call in a EMS Unit. Along with the regular traffic, drivers faced other obstacles, from unexpected pedestrians and road hazards to a man shooting a firearm at the EMS unit. The streets in the “simulator city” are not known by personnel like they know Shawnee streets, so that provides extra challenges during the session, 

While the simulator won’t entirely replace vehicle training in the field, there are advantages, such as savings on fuel costs to wear and tear on vehicles. It’s another tool to use. It’s in an atmosphere that is a safer, controlled environment.

Shawnee Polic department ordered the simulator for the department in August after REACT Emergency Medical Service donated $30,000 toward the cost of the $108,000 equipment. The city of Shawnee had budgeted $70,000 for the purchase and the rest came from a $10,000 contribution from the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group in exchange for use of the equipment for training sessions.

The simulator, which arrived in Shawnee in late September, has already been put to good use. Employees of REACT and other emergency services have participated in using the driving simulator.