US DELEGATION OBSERVES FIRE AND RESCUE TRAINING AT SLAF KATUNAYAKE
A delegation from the USA Embassy in Sri Lanka, headed by Senior Defence Official and Defence Attaché, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew House, visited the SLAF Fire School and Fire Tender Maintenance Squadron at SLAF Base Katunayake today (25 March 2026).
The visit was held in conjunction with the ongoing Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and Firefighting Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE), which began on 23 March 2026 and will continue until 27 March 2026, in collaboration with the Montana National Guard of the United States under the State Partnership Program.
The programme aims to enhance the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) capabilities of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and other relevant government agencies by sharing technical expertise and operational best practices in firefighting and urban search and rescue operations. The training focuses on emergency scenarios, including collapsed structures and complex urban disaster environments.
During the visit, the delegation observed a fire and rescue demonstration conducted by Sri Lanka Air Force firefighters, as well as a training session led by Montana National Guard experts. The engagement also facilitated knowledge exchange on modern firefighting techniques, rescue strategies, and inter-agency coordination.
The event was attended by representatives from multiple institutions, including the Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, Colombo Municipal Council Fire Service Department, Fire and Rescue - Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Pvt) Ltd and the Fire Brigade of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
The delegation was received by the Chief Fire Officer of the SLAF and the Commanding Officer of the Fire School and Fire Tender Maintenance Squadron, and was briefed on the training framework and operational capabilities of the SLAF Fire Training School.
The visit was held in conjunction with the ongoing Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and Firefighting Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE), which began on 23 March 2026 and will continue until 27 March 2026, in collaboration with the Montana National Guard of the United States under the State Partnership Program.
The programme aims to enhance the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) capabilities of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and other relevant government agencies by sharing technical expertise and operational best practices in firefighting and urban search and rescue operations. The training focuses on emergency scenarios, including collapsed structures and complex urban disaster environments.
During the visit, the delegation observed a fire and rescue demonstration conducted by Sri Lanka Air Force firefighters, as well as a training session led by Montana National Guard experts. The engagement also facilitated knowledge exchange on modern firefighting techniques, rescue strategies, and inter-agency coordination.
The event was attended by representatives from multiple institutions, including the Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, Colombo Municipal Council Fire Service Department, Fire and Rescue - Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Pvt) Ltd and the Fire Brigade of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
The delegation was received by the Chief Fire Officer of the SLAF and the Commanding Officer of the Fire School and Fire Tender Maintenance Squadron, and was briefed on the training framework and operational capabilities of the SLAF Fire Training School.
