The Henrico County Division of Fire made history as the first department in Virginia to host firefighters through a partnership with the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
Eight members of the Saudi Aramco Fire Department spent the past six months training at four of the county’s stations through the IAFC’s International Fellowship Program (IFP).
On Oct. 15, the firefighters from the IFP’s Cohort No. 27 crossed the stage at the Henrico Theatre to graduate from the program.
“Today marks an incredible learning growth and shared experience here at Henrico County – a place that welcomed us from the beginning, not as trainees but as brothers,” team leader Hatem Alharbi said. “We came here as strangers from across the world, different language, different uniforms, but you made us feel right at home from the very first day.
“The Henrico fire department did not just teach us procedures, tactics or science behind the firefighting,” he added, “They showed us what it means to serve with integrity, compassion and courage.”
Jeff Dulin, a senior adviser with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, credited Henrico for sharing its experience and expertise.
“To the folks here in Henrico, you do not know the impact you are having,” he said. “You will not know it today. You will not know it in a week or a month or maybe a year. But down the road, one of these eight firefighters you have just spent the last six months with … will do something extraordinary in their department. They will save a life, or they will save their own life because of the skills they learned here. And that is a success.”
The Saudi Aramco firefighters spent their time in Henrico fully immersed in learning, living and experiencing the life of a firefighter in the United States.
Previously certified through the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress, the members of Cohort No. 27 were assigned to one of four fire stations after their skills were evaluated by the Training Division. Under the program’s protocols, the firefighters were allowed to run fire calls but could not perform patient care.
Saudi Aramco, based in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, is a global petroleum and natural gas company that partners with the IACP to enhance and diversify its skills, with an emphasis on workplace safety and growing new leaders.
“Our collective efforts will ensure continued progress, drive innovation and create lasting impact for the firefighting profession, both locally and globally,” said Abdullah Ghamdi, vice president for fire protection with Saudi Aramco.
More than two dozen major metropolitan fire and rescue departments around the country are selected by the IAFC to participate in the International Fellowship Program. On the cusp of its 10th anniversary, the program benefits the host fire departments by providing opportunities to practice their teaching skills and immersing themselves in the global fire service culture.
“We are proud, as a fire department, that we can represent the U.S. fire service with hosting this cohort,” Henrico Fire Chief Jackson Baynard said. “I could not be more proud of our participation in this program.”
The division will welcome another cohort in December.
