EDGE FRS uses TCP port 443 and UDP ports 7777-7790. These ports must be open for you to participate in an Internet-hosted Session. If you are unsure whether these ports are open, please contact your IT representative before attempting to join an EDGE Session.

EDGE FRS 2 is a versatile training tool, however, in order to access EDGE, you need to either have an approved account or be invited into a training session by an approved account holder.  The steps to access an EDGE training session vary depending on whether you are a trainee or the person organizing the training session.

If you are a trainee:

• You should receive a date and time for your training session as well as a username and password for the training session from the training session organizer.  In addition, you should receive information from them on how to obtain the EDGE client software and user documentation
• Prior to the training session, install the EDGE client on your computer and make sure you are able to launch the EDGE client
• At the appointed time of the training, launch the EDGE client and log in using the information previously provided by the organizer and join the training session.

If you are a training session organizer:

• Once you have an approved account, use the information provided to you in your account approval notification email to access the EDGE FRS 2 Training web site.
• Create a session for the desired date and time and you will be provided a 6 character user name to be used for that session.
• Create a password for the training session that will be associated with the 6 character user name from the previous step
• Download the EDGE client software, Effective Use Guide, Participant Guide, and other documentation, as needed
• Provide the EDGE client software and the desired documentation to trainees along with the session login information (6 character user name and the password you created) to all trainees
• At the appointed time, the EDGE servers will start the training session automatically or you can start it earlier by logging into the EDGE Training Web site and clicking the Start button for that session
• At the appointed end time, the EDGE servers will automatically stop the session and shut down.

The EDGE environment is not a training course in the traditional sense, but rather a tool instructors use to train their First Responder teams in a safe environment. EDGE FRS is a sandbox environment, meaning there is no fixed scenario or mandatory training events. Instead, instructors can use EDGE as a virtual environment to train a wide range of possible events, ranging from non-lethal events such as a non-custodial parent or fighting students, to an active shooter. EDGE is particularly well suited to training coordinated responses across organizational and functional boundaries.

Ideally, each EDGE FRS 2 training session can support up to 20 total users, including all trainees, role players, and instructors.

The instructor is a critical role in EDGE FRS 2 training and must be a qualified or certified EDGE instructor to ensure that all trainees get the maximum training benefit from the EDGE training.  When a training session includes educators, it is imperative that the instructor understands the education-centric aspects of the training scenarios and what the training objectives of the educators are.  Instructors are also special users who monitor the training session and deploy trainees and role players into the scenario. Instructors can also enter a Spectator mode during an exercise. In Spectator mode, instructors can use a Free Fly camera to move throughout the environment and a Follow camera to attach and follow specific users to see the environment from their perspective.

Every EDGE training session must have at least one designated instructor.

We are always looking to improve the EDGE training platform and would appreciate any new feature suggestions you may have.  Please use the feature request form located here to request new features.  Feature requests are not guaranteed and will be added to the development queue as they are authorized and funded.