The XVR Community contest results are in!

The XVR Community contest results are in!

High-rise incident in Duff House (by David Robertson / West Midlands FRS)

This scenario depicts a Level 1 incident in a high-rise building involving a fire on the 11th floor of a 17 story apartment building, with several of the occupants still inside. The Council emergency response team is also present at the scene. The narrative is straightforward, the script is simple and written for multiple roles, and participants work their way upwards towards the fire.

What caught the jury’s eyes is the clever work-around for bringing firefighters to the various floors. The floors and stairwell were built separately at the edges of the scenario, and a task box located in the elevator (manually triggered by the instructor) would bring crew to the 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th floor. Another task box in the stairway automatically takes them up the stairs. The building is nicely localised and each floor looks different. The scenario contains several events and task logic to further the narrative. This makes it an advanced scenario, that really showcases the flexibility of XVR On Scene, and how you can create (and script) anything. This was a great submission, and one of the honourable mentions - it was very close to being the winning scenario. We definitely recommend downloading this scenario from our Community website to see the clever use of task logic and events.

Scheveningen bonfires on New Year’s Eve (by Robert Orsel / Safety Region Groningen)

The other honourable mention goes to this Level 2 scenario depicting a real-life incident that took place in the Dutch seaside resort Scheveningen (next to The Hague) on New Year’s Eve 2018. In Scheveningen, it is a tradition to put on a grand fireworks display and build a large bonfire using pallets. The pallet tower measured about 48 metres that night. Once it was lit on fire, the strong winds blew large, smouldering embers inland across the town. Firefighters spent all night putting out fires all over Scheveningen, police was on scene to maintain order, and several first responders were assaulted by the drunk spectators.

The jury was impressed to see that this scenario had been built completely from scratch. Placement of buildings, fires, and the coastline are close to the real-life circumstances. The exercise participant arrives to complete chaos: There are multiple fires around town, intoxicated bystanders mill about, burning embers continue to fly overhead, and several firefighters have been injured by bystanders throwing fireworks. The scenario is built for Level 2 training purposes with few events, and the incident has already been scaled up. The script included is clear and detailed. Judges agreed that this scenario deserves an honourable mention due to its high level of realism and immersion and well-executed chaotic environment. A scenario well worth checking out. 

Winner! – Shooting in a nightclub (by Martin Gruner / Hochschule der Polizei Rheinland-Pfalz)

The winning scenario depicts a shooting in the fictional nightclub Tatort in Germany. The incident takes place on a busy summer night. When the scenario begins, the nightclub has been secured, the crowds are controlled, and injured civilians are being treated, but the perpetrator fled in a car and is still at large. As the scenario progresses, there are consequences to the participant’s actions (or hesitation) – for example, the incident can be escalated with a bomb exploding near several ambulances. All emergency services are included, and the environment is busy with a clear sense of urgency.

What won the judges over was how meticulously this scenario was built, with close attention paid to details. The nightclub interior is sprinkled with blood pools and injured club-goers, and the flashing disco lights and long shadows create an unnerving atmosphere. The narrative and sequence of events is quite clear, and the triggers and events make the scenario intense and chaotic. The script is very detailed and easy to understand, and the story is relevant to our time. The jury decided this deserves first place due to its high level of realism and immersion, the attention paid to details, the creative narrative, and the ease of use for other users. Well done!

Congratulations to Martin Gruner from Hochschule der Polizei Rheinland-Pfalz! We hope you enjoy the Oculus Quest 2, and that it helps you train and educate even better with XVR On Scene.