Over the next few years, Erik Bushland’s third-year animation and computer science classes will work with the Sachse Fire Department on a multi-phase, multi-year project. The simulation will be built to represent the city of Sachse, so that firefighters can find the best way to get to a specific address in the shortest time possible.

Students met with the Sachse Fire Department in mid-September to learn the firefighters’ routines when responding to emergency calls.

“Currently, drivers will study maps, and then they go out and drive the roads,” Bushland said. “That’s a lot of wear and tear on their vehicles, so we approached them with the possibility of creating a first responders’ simulation.

The simulation also tests firefighters’ skills by adding in random events, such as car crashes, traffic, and heavy rain. Firefighters must be deal with these simulated events as quickly as possible so that they may be faster and more effective when said events occur in the real world.

“They want the driving part done first, so they can save costs of fuel and maintenance on the vehicles by using the simulation,” Bushland said.

Both classes serve a specific purpose in creating the simulation. “We have the animators create the buildings, the people and the assets–all the eye candy you see in games,” Bushland said. “The computer programmers are the ones that make it come to life. Without them, all we have is a set scene.”

Within the two classes, a work environment has been created to give students a feeling of how their simulation affects the real world.

“I’ve enjoyed this class because it gives me a challenge and work ethic,” senior Anais Anderson said. “You learn things here that you won’t learn anywhere else.”

Another meeting has been scheduled for late October or early November to continue integrating the simulation.