U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz’s Fire Department will represent Installation Management Command (IMCOM) in the Department of Defense (DoD) Annual Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) Awards competition as the best Large Fire Department. (Courtesy photo)
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KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – The U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services has been selected as a finalist for the Best Large Fire Department category in the Installation Management Command-Europe’s (IMCOM-E) 2024 Fire and Emergency Services Awards, a significant honor recognizing its exceptional service.
In addition to winning the Best Large Fire Department category, three USAG Rheinland-Pfalz firefighters were also recognized in individual categories.
Deputy Fire Chief Robert Womble was recognized as 2024 Fire Officer of the Year, Assistant Fire Chief of Training Tobias Lang earned the title of 2024 Fire Service Instructor of the Year, and for the second year is a row, and Firefighter Christoph Himbert was named EMS Provider of the Year.
USAG Rheinland-Pfalz’s DFES has a track record of excellence, having previously won the Large Fire Department of the Year award at the IMCOM-E level in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023. Three of its firefighters were also recognized at the Department of Defense level in 2023.
According to the award citation, in 2024 the team responded to 523 emergency calls and contained 16 fires with no losses, protecting $13 Billion in U.S. Army assets. They successfully performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on two patients, saving their lives, and even assisted in a baby delivery at one of the installations’ gates. Additionally, their garrison-wide fire safety campaign was highly effective, reducing cooking fires by an average 74%.
Womble expressed his gratitude and honor at being named Fire Officer of the Year by IMCOM-Europe, crediting the award to the tireless efforts and dedication of his entire team.
“Firefighting and emergency response are not individual efforts – they are built on trust, teamwork, and our commitment to the safety and well-being of our communities,” he said. “This recognition motivates me to keep striving for excellence, to continue to lead by example, and to continue building a safer and stronger environment for everyone we serve here at USAG Rheinland-Pfalz. I am truly grateful for my colleagues, leaders, and my family for their continued support and inspiration.”
The Department of Defense F&ES award program is highly competitive, with all branches of the military and Defense Logistics Agency competing. This honor marks a milestone in the award process as the selected IMCOM-E award winners will now advance to compete against their counterparts at increasingly higher levels through U.S. Army Materiel Command, U.S. Army and finally, the Department of Defense.
U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz serves, supports, and secures the total force community enabling power projection for the European Theater.
