8 years ago I worked on a project with several other people to use one of the game engines to make a training simulator for hazard training and familiarizing your self with new equipment (navy ships)(I was the hardware guy). Our service was presented in detail, one of the generals took all the information and gave it to his pet company (Litton Industries) that happened to offer the same thing a week later, and get the contract. Grrrrr. Well, I met some cool peeps along the way. - oh yeah, not new, but glad it's being done for the public.

They could also learn to shoot in the face those who stand in the way to a fire extinguisher.

Carnegie Mellon did this at least 4 years ago, see http://www.etc.cmu.edu/projects/hazmat_2005/screenshots.php?page=0

It was developed out into a free product for first-responder training instructors to teach safety and procedures with 3D simulations, see http://www.code3d.com/

Of course, the more organizations working on teaching safety to our first-responders, the better!