Photo by Judy WileyDignitaries, a tour and a flaming finale officially opened the expanded DFW Airport Fire Training Research Center Wednesday.
The center, which has trained more than 15,000 firefighters since it started in the 1970s, has a state-of-the-art classroom now, with a giant touch screen and interactive terminals embedded in tables for 3D simulations.
Once trainees get to the field, they work in simulators of all sizes, including the three-story Airbus 380. Fires are controlled by computer from a tower.
DFW Airport spokeswoman Cynthia Vega said the advent of larger aircraft such as the Boeing Dreamliner means aircraft firefighters have to learn new techniques to fight fires in taller airplanes.
