In addition to getting to know the facilities of the Experimental Centre of Asturias, the participants learned about:
- Ventilation in tunnels and evacuation measures in case of fire.
- Self-contained breathing apparatus and extinguishing equipment
- Smoke behaviour in tunnels
- Handling of powder extinguishers, CO2 and BIE’s.
The students were confronted with the problems and risks posed by a fire in a tunnel and learned in a practical way how to solve or manage it from the control room.
For most of them, the practical part with real fire was a unique experience and difficult to find in other courses for Control Room Operators. Guillem Carim, an AERCO worker, says that “after years of working in ventilation, CFD simulations and fire, I had never before experienced being in the fire itself”.
Unlike previous editions, there were participants from several nationalities: Portugal, Italy and Spain. The confluence of students was very enriching, as it allowed them to share the peculiarities of each country.