Abstract:
Fire risk is the leading hazard for the safety of buildings', not only due to potential, but also concerning property/value losses. When it comes to cultural heritage, fire is by far the most destructive phenomena, and prevention is the most effective way of protection. Portugal's current fire code published in 2008, establishes the need of self preservation procedures, embodied in Emergency Plans with five vectors: i) prevention procedures or plans; ii) safety records; iii) emergency procedures or plans; iv) appropriate training; v) fire drills. Each has its contribution upon providing the adequate fire safety. However, besides publishing safety laws it is the urgent to promote an intrinsic safety culture. Had previous generations done this and some of the cultural heritage now lost could still exist! Examples include the Alexandria Library fire or the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. It is our contemporary duty for generations to come, to provide safety means in order to ensure the safeness of our cultural heritage. The use of Serious Games to educate and train stakeholders is a possible way for creating and developing such an intrinsic safety culture. An on-going research on this matter at LIACC/ FEUP is briefly described in this paper
