New HazMat training system brings realistic scenarios to CFS members

Hazmat Training Hero Image

An upgraded training system is giving SA Country Fire Service (CFS) members a significant step forward in their hazardous materials (HazMat) training.

CFS has 30 brigades strategically located across South Australia who are equipped and trained to respond to incidents involving hazardous materials. 

In 2024/25, CFS volunteers responded to more than 160 HazMat incidents across the state.  

The introduction of the new training system – the HazSim Pro 3 Dual System – provides members with more opportunity to safely train in realistic simulations.  

Previously, training relied on printed detector screens and limited simulation tools. While real detectors require real hazards to activate, the HazSim Pro 3 creates realistic training conditions without any actual risk.  

What is the HazSim Pro 3?  

The HazSim Pro 3 allows users to experience simulated gas and radiation environments in real time. Readings shift as a user moves through the scene, alarms can activate, and hazards change based on decisions made during the exercise. The system is controlled remotely by instructors, allowing for dynamic, scenario-based learning with no exposure to danger.  

HazSim Pro 3 training

What members are saying:  

  • “The way the readings changed as I moved made it feel real. It changed how I approached the whole scenario.”  
  • “Watching how gases behaved at different heights really helped me understand vapour density in a way I never could with cards.”  
  • “When the hazard changed, I had to retreat and rethink my gear. That’s  real-life decision making we  don’t  normally get to train for.”  

Beyond HazMat  

While designed for hazardous materials, the system can be applied in other areas of training, including structural firefighting, road crash rescue, and rural fire scenarios involving air quality or gas exposure. It supports a more modern, realistic approach to training and strengthens decision-making skills in high-pressure situations.  

The introduction of HazSim Pro 3 reflects CFS’s commitment to improving safety and capability through innovation in training.