USAG Rheinland-Pfalz and German Firefighter joint training strengthens community safety

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany - U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz' Sembach fire station collaborated with the German Volunteer Fire Department in nearby Winnweiler to conduct a combined structural fire exercise on Sembach Kaserne, Dec. 1, 2025.

The exercise strengthened teamwork between the departments so they are always ready to respond to a large-scale emergency.

Deputy Fire Chief Robert Womble, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz Directorate of Emergency Services, said that the training, just one of multiple large trainings in the past months, was "highly effective" in building camaraderie, improving teamwork and getting to know each other's capabilities.

The training included 35 firefighters from USAG Rheinland-Pfalz Fire Station 2 and the Winnweiler Volunteer Fire Department. For this training scenario, firefighters searched an entire floor of the old Sembach High School building for multiple missing persons scattered throughout the floor. The training was conducted after dark, which posed unique challenges for the two departments.

"Things are different at nighttime," he said. "Sometimes it's a little bit more complex than the daylight hours. It's a good opportunity for us to use all our equipment and challenge the firefighters on operations during nighttime hours."

The two departments used the recent training at the Department of Defense Education Activity school-turned-training facility as an opportunity to practice their search and rescue techniques, which vary from situation to situation. One thing that remains constant is the primary and secondary search practice.

Womble explained that when searching a building, firefighters conduct a rapid initial search followed by a very thorough secondary search that includes opening all doors and checking under furniture.

"The purpose of training with our host nation counterparts is several-tier," Womble said. "One of them is for us to get to know each other and how we operate, and how we can integrate on the scene of a major emergency. Therefore, if it were to happen for real, we're not meeting each other for the very first time."

The USAG Rheinland-Pfalz Fire Department has a mutual aid agreement with eight different counties and towns near its installations, including Kaiserslautern, Mannheim, Germersheim, Baumholder and others, so that in the event of a large-scale emergency on or off a USAG Rheinland-Pfalz installation, both host nation and garrison fire stations will work together to respond to the emergency. These mutual aid agreements make regular training exercises between the fire departments even more essential to ensure adequate teamwork and effectiveness between the different departments, Womble said.

Womble said that all his firefighters are required to be "double trained," meaning they are required to be certified firefighters in both Germany and the United States.

He noted that one of the most important things people can do to prepare themselves for emergencies is to have a plan of action for any situation that might occur.

"Children, and even some adults, have a tendency to panic when something is going wrong, and they hide," he said. "We try to educate people about having a plan, especially when you have smaller children."

Womble recommends families plan out things like a common meeting point and alternate routes in case an exit or stairway is inaccessible, which can make all the difference in the event of a fire or evacuation.

For more information about the USAG Rheinland-Pfalz Fire Department or how you or your family can be better prepared for an emergency, visit their website at https://home.army.mil/rheinland-pfalz/about/directorates-support-offices/directorate-emergency-services-des/fire-department

U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz sets, serves, and secures the total force community, enabling power projection for the European Theater.

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