2BME Firefighter

By 2BME Studios

What do you want to be when you grow up? A policeman, a doctor, a teacher or maybe even a firefighter. Children of all ages get asked this question and their answers are usually people they look up too. During the late fall, fire stations from all around take time out of their busy days to teach the “ins and outs” of fire safety to schools. In addition, fire stations invite towns people in to see things up close and personal as they explain the importance of their job. What type of fire safety program does your school or classroom integrate each school year? Ever thought to explore what the Apple Store might have for your mobile device? 2BME Studios has that covered with their recent launch of 2BME Firefighter. This 3D animated app is full of sound effects, colorful graphics and allows your child or student to role play, have fun and imagine as they are educated on Fire Station 21.

Upon entering 2BME Firefighter, users will be greeted by the fire chief. Your exploration can begin in a variety of ways as there is a tutorial, classroom and play mode. 2BME Firefighter is a very user friendly app for all types of fingers and learning styles. Applicable2U began their virtual tour with the tutorial mode. We were pleasantly surprised by the approach that 2BME Studios took as the tutorial is not just pictures and words, but rather verbal cues and interactive motions. It explains the various buttons and moves that a user will need to complete as they interact, practice and learn. Come build your fine motor skills and hand eye coordination as you tap, drag and swipe. As you swipe, users will also be reinforcing their sense of direction (left, right, up and down). 2BME also guides users with prompts if a delay appears to be happening when a child or student is unsure of what to do next. As a child or student becomes comfortable with the interaction of the application, they can begin playing.

As Applicable2U explored the play mode, we were impressed to see how users could interact but we were also pleased to see how playing can lead to additional teacher or parent led conversations. As you navigate the fire station, users will learn the importance of a fire fighters attire, the control panel where emergencies are called in and how to stay safe when faced with a fire. The tour then continues to the garage area of the fire station, where your little firefighters will experience what 2BME likes to call the giant toolbox on wheels, a fire truck! The emergency bells are blaring, so it is time to hop into the truck and drive. You are now a part of Fire Station 21’s team, sit behind the wheel and hear the sounds of your new truck. Take control of the ladder and put out the fire as quickly as you can. So the fire won’t spread, try to work fast as you try to beat your time and earn a new ranking. All throughout this play mode, users are developing both their cognitive and language development skills.

Now it is time to put your interaction to the test, come visit the Fire Chief’s classroom. Here users will be asked questions and presented with visual clues in a multiple choice fashion. With his pointer stick in hand, the fire chief will read the question on the chalkboard and your choices are laid out on his desk. A note to the developers – might it be possible to have an option to reread questions if comprehension of the question is not understood? Also, might it be possible to incorporate vocabulary words to the choices at the bottom, when a user taps an option, right or wrong, that word is announced. This would further reinforce learned vocabulary as they can make a connection. In addition, to avoid quick hands at tapping correct or incorrect answers, might it be possible to lock choices until the entire question has been read by the fire chief. The classroom mode is a looping mode, so users will find that questions will repeat, however, repetition makes perfect sense with an important safety topic like fire. In a future update, we would love to see at the completion of the classroom mode, the ability to make an award or pin that could integrate your student or child’s name with an option for printing if necessary.

Overall, Applicable2U really enjoyed our tour of 2BME Firefighter. This application is the 21st century version of the paper coloring booklet that educators or fire fighters present to students during fire safety week. As your child or students play in this virtual world, a great deal of learning is happening as they are having fun. It is gaming for a reason! This type of learning application could extend further into so many other role playing occupations. It could become a series or chapters of a larger book, 2BME Policeman or 2BME Ambulance. If you would like to learn more about 2BME Studios, please visit their website here. Whether you are a classroom teacher, homeschooler or parent, 2BME Firefighter is applicable to you. To begin download it today, simply click here to access your iTunes library.