An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Blazing Through Language Barriers for a Common Goal

18 October 2023

From Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Maria A. Olvera Tristán

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti - Members of Camp Lemonnier Fire and Emergency Services Department, trained with Djiboutian and French Fire Departments in a trilateral aviation firefighting exercise on the flight line at the Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport, Djibouti, Oct. 5.
The exercise prepared the firefighters for effective joint response by assessing Camp Lemonnier's instructions, coordination, and response to aircraft mishaps alongside other nations.

"It is important that we coordinate together," said Abdouraham Farah Ibrahi, Djiboutian Fire Chief. "To use the power of water, and see what it can really do."

The exercise simulated an aviation mishap where firefighters had to stabilize the fire, and then rescue and transport a patient for further care.

Three teams gathered at the French fire station and each team included a command chief with their crew, along with a fire truck. After a brief meeting, teams took turns going to the simulated helicopter crash site.

Command Chiefs passed down instructions to the fire chiefs, who disseminated the information to their teams using radio, voice, visual, and hand signals. Communication and coordination were at the core of this exercise.

"Although there is a language barrier, we had the capacity to communicate with examples, with simple language, and gestures," said Pfeiffer. "It is possible to do something, to communicate with signs."

Each crew took turns putting out the fire, extricating the survivor, and moving them to safety.

"We were able to watch our crews communicate with each other on the first evolution," said CLDJ's Chief Firefighter Stephen Skola. "The French were able to go to my crew chief, they were able to communicate what they want it done, and accomplish the mission."

The trilateral training gave all participants the opportunity to showcase their strengths and work across language barriers to enhance their collective capabilities.

"We connected and worked together," said Major Franck Pfeiffer, French fire chief. "We were all able to intervene, and coordinate without speaking the same language; even though we don't speak the same language, we proved that we can work together."

The crews also got to learn more about each other's capabilities, said Skola.

"It has been a while since we had interaction with the Djiboutian fire department," he said. "For some of my guys, it was the first time they saw the style of equipment the French have, the type of nozzle is different, they had never seen that. It's always a good thing just to learn so we can work together more effectively."

Teams are scheduled to have regular meetings in the following weeks to translate what they've learned into three languages to prepare for the next exercise.

"This was the first exercise of many," said Emergency Management Officer U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin Price. "We look forward to more interaction."

Camp Lemonnier serves as an expeditionary base for U.S. military forces providing support to ships, aircraft, and personnel that ensure security throughout Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. The base enables maritime and combat operations in the Horn of Africa while fostering positive U.S.-Africa relations.

News

 

Google Translation Disclaimer

  • Google Translate, a third party service provided by Google, performs all translations directly and dynamically.
  • Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central, cnreurafcent.cnic.navy.mil has no control over the features, functions, or performance of the Google Translate service.
  • The automated translations should not be considered exact and should be used only as an approximation of the original English language content.
  • This service is meant solely for the assistance of limited English-speaking users of the website.
  • Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central, cnreurafcent.cnic.navy.mil does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information translated.
  • Some items cannot be translated, including but not limited to image buttons, drop down menus, graphics, photos, or portable document formats (pdfs).
  • Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central, cnreurafcent.cnic.navy.mil does not directly endorse Google Translate or imply that it is the only language translation solution available to users.
  • All site visitors may choose to use similar tools for their translation needs. Any individuals or parties that use Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central, cnreurafcent.cnic.navy.mil content in translated form, whether by Google Translate or by any other translation services, do so at their own risk.
  • IE users: Please note that Google Translate may not render correctly when using Internet Explorer. Users are advised to use MS Edge, Safari, Chrome, or Firefox browser to take full advantage of the Google Translate feature.
  • The official text of content on this site is the English version found on this website. If any questions arise related to the accuracy of the information contained in translated text, refer to the English version on this website, it is the official version.

Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central   |   PSC 817, Box 108   |   FPO, AE 09622
Official U.S. Navy Website