Overview
The Southern University Graduate School, in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health and emergency preparedness leaders, has successfully implemented the ICLERT initiative—an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) disaster training program designed to strengthen crisis leadership and community resilience. Using high-fidelity VR simulations and scenario-based instruction, the program equips crisis managers, first responders, and stakeholders with hands-on experience in managing hurricanes, electrical hazards, and gas leaks. Trainees practice critical decision-making in risk-free environments, improving confidence, response time, and operational readiness.
Developed in the wake of COVID-19 and powered by federal workforce funding, ICLERT delivers scalable, replicable training models that address the following:
Many crisis managers and first responders lack convenient access to dynamic, high-fidelity training, leading to uneven preparedness.
Traditional disaster training methods struggle to simulate concurrent incidents and decision-making under pressure.
COVID-19 revealed the need for adaptable, scalable, and accessible preparedness tools, particularly in underserved communities.
Approach
High-Fidelity 3D Campus Digital Twin: Built a LiDAR- and geospatial-powered digital twin of the Southern University campus, including the University Dome (emergency shelter) and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), to provide hyper-realistic crisis training environments.
Scenario-Driven Simulations: Developed hurricane management VR modules that immerse trainees in multi-incident, real-time decision-making—strengthening crisis response under complex, high-pressure conditions.
Comprehensive Curriculum Design: Delivered a scalable educational suite with 3 foundational courses, 7 hazard-specific modules, and 2 integrated simulations, optimized for seamless VR headset installation and classroom integration.
Data-Driven Assessment and Analytics: Implemented pre/post assessments, group tests, knowledge checks, and feedback surveys, generating measurable insights into learning gains, decision-making speed, and user confidence.
Scalable and Replicable Deployment: Packaged program files, source code, and technical documentation for easy replication across schools, agencies, and communities—ensuring the solution is adaptable and deployment-ready statewide.
Outcomes
35+ emergency managers, police, and risk officers trained through immersive VR/AR disaster simulations, strengthening decision-making and response under pressure.
Developed 10+ ready-to-deploy training modules (foundational, hazard-specific, and integrated scenarios) for direct use on Meta Quest 3 headsets and CAVE systems.
Deployed two dynamic scenario-driven simulations that immerse trainees in multi-incident, real-time decision-making, significantly strengthening crisis response under complex, high-pressure conditions.
Packaged and transferred deployment-ready VR/AR modules to the Louisiana Department of Health, ensuring scalability to agencies and communities statewide.
Demonstrated measurable improvements in disaster preparedness, workforce resilience, and risk mitigation, creating replicable training models for employee safety, compliance, and community engagement.
