Romanians visit Alabama Guard

By Norman Arnold
Alabama National Guard

From Left to Right: Romanian Lt. Col. Marius Dogeanu, Romanian Maj. Mihai Guta, Romanian Maj. Mariana Barbu, Romanian Lt. Gen. Vladimir Secara, Fire Chief Larry Williams, Romanian Lt. Col. Mugurel Stanov, Fire Capt. Stephen Messer, Battalion Chief Pete Webb, Fire Fighter Jesse Taylor and Sgt. Mark Metcalfe (Photo by Lt. Col. Cynthia Bacchus, Alabama National Guard)
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MONTGOMERY, Ala., (8/10/09) -- Five Romanian officials recently spent a busy week in Alabama observing emergency situations and how state, county and local officials cope with them.

Lt. Gen. Vladimir Secara, head of the Romanian general inspectorate for emergency situations, led the delegation.

The visit was part of the State Partnership Program (SPP) which was created by NATO after the cold war with Russia ended. The SPP paired state Guard organizations with former communist countries in a program intended to establish or normalize relations in a new and positive manner.

Romania, the first Warsaw Pact nation to enter the program, was paired with the Alabama Guard in August 1994. Since then, Alabama Guard and Romanian military personnel have participated in numerous training exercises, activities and assistance visits in both Alabama and Romania.

The highlight of the recent visit by the Romanian personnel was a visit to the Dothan Fire Department. Stephen Messer, a Dothan fire captain is also a major in the Alabama Army Guard. He explained the procedures Dothan firefighters and other local responders used in a number of staged events.

“The members of the Romanian delegation were all highly trained, professional emergency responders.’ Messer said. “I think expanding the SPP to include firefighters and other civilian emergency responders is an excellent idea.”

Demonstrations included fire suppression measures followed by the rope rescue of a person trapped on an upper floor. Once the “victim” was secured and safely lowered to the ground, emergency medical technicians determined the person was in cardiac arrest and initiated actions to revive him.

Another simulation involved a patient who had been contaminated by some type of hazardous material. An entrance team in full protective gear entered the area and removed the person and moved him through decontamination procedures.

The Romanian visitors were provided with a walk-through to get a close-up view of all the equipment that had been used in the demonstrations. Dothan firefighters answered questions about equipment capabilities and uses.

“Exchanges between organizations like the Dothan Fire Department and the Romanian Fire Service are mutually beneficial for both organizations,” Messer added. “Continuing the State Partnership Program between Alabama and Romania promises continued dividends for both entities in the future.”

Earlier in their week-long visit, the Romanian delegation visited the Alabama Emergency Management headquarters in Clanton, Shelby County Sheriff Chris Curry’s office and the state Homeland Security office in Montgomery.

When the partnership program began in 1994, the program included military support operations. Since that time, it has expanded and now includes the exchange of advice and assistance with environmental, industrial, education, agricultural, and information technology issues.

One Alabama project that was born out of compassion in 1995 is still ongoing. During an exercise in Constanta, a large Romanian city, Alabama Guard members were moved to provide assistance to an orphanage they were renovating. The children in the orphanage were all infected with a serious disease.

The Guard members passed a hat that year and made a monetary donation to the orphanage staff to purchase items needed by the children, but could not be obtained on a meager budget. Since that time, support has continued each year since that time with donations from Alabama Guard members being presented to the orphanage staff.

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