FW-HTF-P: Immersive Virtual Reality Instructional Modules for Response to Active Shooter Events

This project addresses the need to significantly increase preparedness to respond to active shooter events. During active shooter events or emergencies, the ability of public safety professionals to react appropriately to the situation is driven not only by pre-existing knowledge and skills but also depends upon state of mind and familiarity with similar scenarios. The primary focus of the activities in this project is to increase the efficiency and preparedness of public safety professionals for active shooter events, with a focus on the design of future technologies for conducting emergency response training. The pilot research in this project involves developing immersive virtual reality instructional modules to serve as a platform for emergency training to be deployed across institutions of higher education (IHEs). These active shooter response training drills and exercises will facilitate the implementation of emergency operation plans and the translation of plans into action. Overall, the project serves as the basis for training workers of the future in the important work context of emergency response. The pilot research in this project involves conducting preliminary experiments to improve preparedness for an active shooter event using an immersive virtual reality environment. This work builds on an existing virtual reality instructional module for active shooter response and will expand the simulation environment to include public safety professional training with an active shooter scenario. The research will engage 15-200 university volunteers (faculty, staff, and visitors) and the instructional modules will be built and evaluated with 15-20 public safety professionals from Bowie State University. A pilot study will be conducted for training in immersive and non-immersive virtual environments. Overall, this work will contribute to the state-of-the-art emergency response research and results could form the basis of public education and awareness programs to help facility occupants, public safety professionals, and IHE officials to respond appropriately during emergencies. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.