ZIG again supports Joint German EMT Exercise

Joint training for joint deployments - under this theme, the second joint exercise of the German Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) took place in the Ahr Valley from 29 May to 2 June. The EMTs from Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB), CADUS e.V., humedica and Johanniter trained for humanitarian deployments, supported by staff from RKI’s Centre for International Health Protection (ZIG) and other partner organisations. The scenario: many dead and injured due to an earthquake in the fictitious state of "Rhinepfals". The healthcare system is overwhelmed and the country requests support from the World Health Organization (WHO) via the WHO EMT Initiative. Several EMTs travel in to provide medical assistance to the affected population. An EMT Coordination Cell is installed in the country for effective coordination of the support. When the first cases of cholera occur, a mobile laboratory and an IPC-Team (Infection Prevention and Control) are also mobilised.

Initial treatment of a patient by the humedica team. Source: Alois Pommer, ASBÖ

What kind of support did ZIG provide?

Since the end of 2018, the National Focal Point for Emergency Medical Teams (EMT NFP), based in RKI unit ZIG 3 (Preparedness and Operations Support), has been an important player in the German EMT landscape. It serves as an interface between the German teams, the responsible ministries, WHO and other partners. The five-member EMT NFP team of RKI had already played an important role in the first Joint German EMT Exercise in Hünxe, North Rhine-Westphalia, in 2022. Together with the participating organisations and under the leadership of ASB, it was this time again actively involved in the nine-month planning of the exercise and its implementation. For example, the scenario for the EMT Coordination Cell was developed and implemented by the NFP team. The external exercise observers and the "Visitors Day", i.e. the visit of high-ranking representatives of the teams and of RKI, WHO and ministries, were also organised and primarily managed by members of the EMT NFP team.

Colleagues from the NFP team and humedica visit the CADUS team in their role as "EMT Coordination Cell". Source: Alois Pommer, ASBÖ

The international aspect of the exercise manifested in the participation of experts from the Namibian EMT in the framework of the RKI GHPP project "EMT Twinning, Training, Transfer of Knowledge". As part of the EMT twinning partnership between Johanniter and the Ministry of Health and Social Services Namibia, six Namibian EMT members were integrated into the Johanniter EMT during the exercise, responding as one team. In addition, international observers from partner EMTs such as RescueNet, SAMUR (Spain) and Lithuania took part in the exercise and were able to share their experiences with the German EMT experts.

A Namibian medical doctor examines a patient as part of the Johanniter team. Source: Alois Pommer, ASBÖ

A novelty was the participation of the rapid response mobile laboratory of the French Institut Pasteur, which was integrated into the EMT of Johanniter and supported by RKI staff from ZIG 4 (Public Health Laboratory Support). This meant that, in addition to basic health care, diagnostic capacities could also be provided on site. An IPC team from RKI, including colleagues from ZIG 3, ZIG 4 and ZIG Office, also provided training for the EMTs involved in order to minimise the risk of infection during operations.

Situation briefing between members of the RKI IPC team and staff from Institut Pasteur, Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund and Johanniter. Source: RKI

What was the added value of this exercise?

The exercise is an example of how the German EMT community collaborates with the support of RKI’s EMT NFP team. The joint training and exercising of the EMTs is - in addition to the general operational preparation - intended to create synergies between the teams and enable them to learn from each other and prepare for joint deployments. The encounter with partner organisations such as ASB Austria or Pharmacists Without Borders as well as with international observers ensures a practical exchange of experience in an international context. Recent global developments also show that collaboration between different response mechanisms is becoming increasingly important. The joint training of EMTs, rapid response mobile laboratories and pharmaceutical teams creates new linkages and opens up ways to meet this requirement.

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