BACKGROUND

Global engagement by local governments is now a necessity, not an option. Like no other time before, the scale of global climate change, health pandemics, trade and investment, and other issues compel the strategic involvement of local governments. This is especially the case now with public safety and emergency response.

For approximately five years, the Arlington County Fire Department has pursued a special form of global engagement with counterparts from Aachen, Germany. Through peer-to-peer and technical exchanges, Arlington County has studied and learned about the potential applications of emergency response policy and technical innovations from counterparts in Aachen, Germany – Arlington County’s sister city. Several practices that the Arlington County Fire Department employs today are like those seen in Aachen and other fire departments in Europe.

The goal of the webinar is to explore and continue the conversations and research to determine if and how to implement European methods and practices into National Capital Region firefighting and emergency medical response services. Arlington County is now looking to further this learning to support its work and understanding about the convergence of emergency response and climate change – especially regarding storms and associated flooding, which pose an increasing threat to jurisdictions in the National Capital Region and require comprehensive and cooperative efforts to mitigate.

DESCRIPTION

Please join the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission on May 18, 2022, from 12:00 P.M. to 1:30 P.M. EST for a webinar that features the best practices and innovations developed through the international partnership between the Arlington County Fire Department and the Aachen, Germany Fire Department.

This virtual conversation highlights the collaborative work of Sebastian Ganser, a firefighter, paramedic, and fire instructor with Aachen, Germany’s Fire Department, and Justin Tirelli, Fire/EMS Captain II and Water Rescue Program Manager at Arlington County Fire Department. Speakers will share the origins and progress of the unique relationship, the lessons and outcomes of their exchanges, the future of their work together, and the potential to replicate and expand opportunities for capturing takeaways from international public safety agencies back to jurisdictions in the National Capital Region.