Maryland National Guard hosts Turkish delegation through U.S. Department of State program
By Capt. Dylan Bradford
REISTERSTOWN, Md. – The Maryland National Guard, in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM), welcomed an emergency management delegation from Turkey as part of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) at Camp Fretterd Military Reservation, January 16, 2025.
The IVLP delegation, which included five senior officials from the Istanbul City Fire Department and AKOM (Istanbul Disaster Coordination Center), engaged with Maryland’s emergency management professionals to exchange knowledge and best practices in disaster preparedness and response. This initiative aimed to strengthen international collaboration and enhance interoperability in addressing large-scale emergencies, such as earthquakes or mass casualty events.
“Events like this foster a greater understanding of each other’s capabilities and create a foundation for ongoing partnerships,” said Maryland Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Amy Kremser, director of the Maryland National Guard Joint Staff. “We’re honored to share Maryland’s approach to disaster preparedness with such a dedicated group of professionals.”
The visit began with a welcome by Kremser, followed by a briefing from Kiona Black, the MDEM Response Coordination manager. Black outlined Maryland’s emergency management framework and highlighted the importance of interagency collaboration.
Maryland Army National Guard Lt. Col. Rob Wille, the MDARNG Operations Division Chief, provided a “Maryland 101” presentation, giving the delegation an overview of the state’s disaster response infrastructure, followed by a tour of the Joint Operations Center (JOC).
Participants expressed admiration for Maryland’s approach to leveraging National Guard resources alongside civilian agencies to deliver a comprehensive response to emergencies.
“This experience has provided us with a valuable perspective on integrating military and civilian emergency management efforts before any unforeseen disasters,” said Ozhan Atçakan, Station Chief of Fatih Fire Station in Istanbul. “We hope to model our efforts for search and rescue operations especially in a similar way.”
The visit concluded with a group photo in the JOC and an exchange of morale patches from both nations.
IVLP engagements are short-term visits designed for foreign leaders to experience and cultivate relationships with their American counterparts through professional meetings that support U.S. foreign policy goals.
“Disasters know no borders,” Wille said. “Through programs like the State Department’s IVLP, we strengthen relationships that make us all better prepared to respond when crises arise.”