IDANG firefighters visits Cambodia to build foundation for future training
Idaho Air National Guardsmen, including two fire protection specialists from the 124th Civil Engineer Squadron, traveled to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sept. 19-26, 2026, to assess fire response capabilities and lay the groundwork for future training through the Idaho National Guard’s State Partnership Program.
The assessment established a baseline of Cambodian firefighting and rescue operations, equipment, procedures, and incident command systems to identify opportunities for future exchanges between the two organizations.
“The purpose of our fire assessment in Cambodia is to lay the groundwork and establish relationships for potential future training collaboration,” said Tech. Sgt. Thomas Cabalo, a 124th Civil Engineer Squadron fire protection specialist. “We want to better understand their capabilities while identifying opportunities where our organizations can learn from and support one another.”
Throughout the week, the team worked alongside Cambodian firefighters to compare training, equipment, organizational structure and emergency response procedures. Despite differences in geography and climate, Cabalo said the departments respond to many of the same types of incidents and use similar equipment, techniques and command systems.
The exchange also highlighted capabilities Idaho firefighters could learn from, including Cambodia’s use of firefighting and search-and-rescue drones.
“It would be interesting to see how they utilize this equipment operationally and determine whether there are applications that could be beneficial to our own department and potentially influence future equipment decisions,” Cabalo said.
For Cabalo, one of the most significant takeaways was the opportunity to work directly with Cambodian firefighters.
“The thing that stood out to me the most was the pride these firefighters have in their department and in their work,” Cabalo said. “They took the time and effort to bring out their equipment, personnel, and infrastructure to demonstrate their capabilities. You can see that they work hard to accomplish what they do, and they are genuinely proud of what they have built.”
Col. Chhea Pheng, commander of Cambodian Rapid Response Company 711, said the engagement provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge, share firefighting best practices and strengthen cooperation between the two organizations, ultimately improving their ability to serve their communities.
Idaho and Cambodia established their partnership in 2009 through the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program. Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief have remained a focus of the relationship, including bilateral training, leadership exchanges and capacity-building engagements.
Army Capt. Sam Brown, Idaho State Partnership Program director, said face-to-face assessments establish direct connections between officer and NCO counterparts while helping participants overcome language and cultural barriers through shared problem-solving.
“The SPP builds decade-long relationships between Guard and partner-nation members, creating institutional resilience and deep personal trust,” Brown said.
The assessment identified potential areas for future exchanges, including incident management, wildland fire behavior, vehicle extrication, search and rescue, and emergency medical care.
“My hope is that we can establish a solid training plan that leads to multiple training engagements, both in Cambodia and in Idaho,” Cabalo said. “I would like to see this assessment become the foundation for a long-term partnership where our firefighters can continue learning and training alongside one another.”
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