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Gloucestershire Business News

HRH The Princess Royal opens AI tech suite

HRH Princess Anne has officially opened a new Immersive Skills Lab at Capita's Fire Service College (FSC) in Moreton-in-Marsh.

The Immersive Skills Lab is a purpose-built, fully flexible learning space created to support practical and collaborative firefighter training and skills development.

While live incident training - including tackling real fires - will remain the cornerstone of training at the FSC, the Immersive Skills Lab uses AI to replicate hyper-realistic real fire scenarios, whilst eliminating safety and environmental concerns.

The new lab will allow current and next generation firefighters to develop and hone their skills in a safe and controlled environment, where approaches to tackling fires can be finessed without real-world consequences.

For 50 years, the 300-acre site in Moreton-in-Marsh has served as the central fire training establishment in the UK, from those in junior ranks to chief fire officers, as well as supporting wider emergency services and first responders.

Colleagues at the FSC were honoured to have HRH The Princess Royal open the technology lab.

The college has a long history of hosting members of the Royal family, going back to 1974 when the late Queen Elizabeth II opened the college.

Clair Mowbray, director at the FSC, said: "The opening of our new Immersive Skills Lab will enhance digital capabilities to ensure that learning and training remains world-leading at the college.

"Firefighters at all experience levels will be even better equipped to build the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to respond to a range of complex emergency situations and enhance their preparedness for high-risk incidents."

David Hook CBE, managing director for Capita Defence and National Preparedness, said: "The sophisticated application of technology will grow in importance across Capita's Defence and National Preparedness businesses. The construction of this state-of-the-art Immersive Skills Lab will ensure that firefighters gain experience that better prepares them to respond to unpredictable challenges in real world scenarios."

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