U.S., French firefighters foster strong working partnership

Photo By Sgt. Charles Siler | Desi Wade (left), the Camp Lemonier fire chief, and Maj. Yann Derrien (center), the BA 188 fire chief, discuss equipment used by the Lemonier fire department through an interpreter, Cmdr. Alban Lapointe, a French liason here with the J5.  

CAMP LEMONNIER, DJIBOUTI

10.22.2007

Story by Sgt. Charles Siler 

Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa

By Army Sgt. Charles Siler
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti -- Thirty-three firefighters from the French airbase, BA 188, made the trip across the flight line of Djibouti International Airport to work with their counterparts at Camp Lemonier, Oct. 16.

The visit is the second in less than a month between the two organizations who have been working together to foster a better working relationship between fire houses, bases and the local community.

"The visit today is a return visit from when the Lemonier Fire Department came and visited our base; in efforts to better integrate our joint airport response work," said Maj. Yann Derrien, BA 188 fire chief.

With three different fire departments, Camp Lemonier, BA 188 and the Djiboutian airport, responsible for different portions of the airfield, ensuring each group knows how to work together in a crisis situation is fundamental.

"Our meeting was really facilitated by the new Air Operations Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Michael Johnston, who came in and did an analysis of the fire prevention and emergency response situation here where there are no official agreements in place," said Desi Wade, fire chief for Camp Lemonier.

"Everything has just been assumed that in an emergency situation it would all come together and that is the worst time to find out that you have communications issues or other problems working together."

With the recent tent fire here, the Lemonier fire department had to alert their French counterparts, so they could be ready should the situation deteriorate or another emergency develop.

"A majority of our assets were involved with the fire, and we let them know we needed them to cover the flightline," said Wade. "It took them about five minutes and they called and said they were good to go with 10 firefighters and two trucks."

Wade and Derrien believe their counterpart's quick response had a lot to do with the friendship between both groups of firefighters.

"Personally, I am glad we've been able to develop a friendship between the French and American firefighters here," said Derrien. "Firefighters everywhere are members of a sort of brotherhood; rescuing people isn't an issue of nationality. The meetings allow us to come together and bond as well as compare techniques and learn from each other."

During the visit, the firefighters of BA 188 were able to observe Lemonier firefighters performing a mock victim extraction from a simulated vehicle accident site.

"It just worked out that we were able to have them over during Fire Prevention Week," said Wade. "It gave us the opportunity to show them how we use some of the equipment."

The meetings also give the firefighters the opportunity to broaden their individual skill sets by learning from other firefighters with wider ranges of expertise, as well as becoming familiar with how their partners will react and work in an emergency.

"We want to be proactive and not reactive," said Wade. "By building these relationships now, we know that in a time of disaster we won't have a knee-jerk reaction."

With this partnership, Camp Lemonier firefighters hope to make a difference in the whole community.

"We hope to get formal agreements with the French, as well as the Djiboutians, so that we can be a lot more involved in supporting the community beyond the fences of Lemonier," said Wade.

Both Derrien and Wade have expressed deep interest in ensuring the meetings continue on a regular basis, to continue to build on the bridge that has been founded on both sides of the airport.

"We are all very happy to be working with the new chief here and all of the contact with the Lemonier Fire Department has been positive," said Derrien. "We hope it continues."

"Since we share 'borders' with the French firemen, we need to work together," said Wade. "It's just common sense, it's a necessity and it improves the overall good of the public we serve."

• Date Taken: 10.22.2007
• Date Posted: 10.22.2007 06:07
• Story ID: 13144
• Location: CAMP LEMONNIER, DJ