Abstract

A 'Next Generation' Serious Game for Public Safety
Track: Disaster Management and Emergency Response
Authors: Willemijn Simon van Leeuwen, Ed Van Ingen

Students in Virtual Theatre and Games are developing a disaster management game for GeoFort: a Dutch Living GeoLab.
By playing this serious game, professionals (often not geo-minded) are trained in the use of geo-information when managing the consequences of hazardous events.
A formal military fortress is being transformed into a control room for decision makers with access to necessary real-time data. By using a touch table multiple users can work together in creating the common operational picture.
In the game several rescue services are being sent out. Communication, cooperation and locational awareness are key elements when challenging disasters. Therefore the teams are carrying an innovative backpack with several sensors (e.g. GPS and RFID) and communication devices, instead of a conventional PDA.
The disaster management game can be regarded as the fun way of learning to manage hazardous events by using modern geo-information technology.


Willemijn Simon van Leeuwen
Stichting GeoFort
Nieuwe Steeg 74
Herwijnen 4171 KG
Netherlands
Phone: 06-20614572
E-mail: willemijn@geofort.nl

Ed Van Ingen
Esri Nederland B.V.
P.O. Box 29020
Rotterdam, n.a. 3001 GA
Netherlands
Phone: +31-10-2170700
E-mail: evaningen@Esri.nl