"Mechernich's FW hosts a significant drill involving IUK's unit, with ELW Kommern participation"
Training Exercise Simulates Disaster Response in Schleiden
On July 12, 2025, the IuK district unit of Mechernich conducted a training exercise at the Kreisbrandschutzzentrum of the district of Euskirchen in Schleiden. The exercise, named the "Leitungsgruppe Einsatzleitung," was designed to simulate a response to a disaster situation caused by severe weather conditions.
According to the scenario set by the deputy district fire chief, Wolfgang Fuchs, unstable weather conditions including thunderstorms, heavy rain, and storm gusts were reported in the location of Gemünd. Reports of severe storm damage and a suspected tornado were recorded, with partial building collapses and roofs blown off, particularly in the city center of Schleiden.
The training involved a command structure with multiple incident sections and the transfer of incident command and situation display to a large area incident command vehicle. Incident commander and deputy district fire chief Johannes Gebertz called for numerous forces from the entire district area to manage the situation.
Members of the fire brigade from Kommern, including Christopherus Wiesen, Jörg Ernst, Leon Heske, and Dirk Küsters, led one of the incident sections from their incident command vehicle. The crew from the ELW 1 of the municipality of Blankenheim simulated the local incident command of the city of Schleiden in the affected area.
The THW local association Schleiden, led by Björn Groß, set up a holding area and registered fictitiously arriving vehicles and their crews. Forces included components of the IuK district unit and members of the operational-tactical command staff of the district of Euskirchen.
The ELW 2 from Kall, under the direction of Katharina Klinkenberg, ensured operational readiness during the exercise. The training proved to be a valuable experience for all participants, and findings from it will be incorporated into the future optimization of command support.
After a successful management of the incident, the focus shifted to the transition back to a command structure operated by an ELW 1, a process run through for the first time as part of targeted training.
The exercise will be repeated in the coming years with changing participants, as stated by Wolfgang Fuchs. For inquiries, contact the Voluntary Fire Department Mechernich, Alexander Kloster, at [email protected]. The news content was originally transmitted by Freiwillige Feuerwehr Mechernich.
