18th Wing, Okinawa City Formalize Fire Department Cooperation
By Maj. John Hutcheson18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - When it comes to saving lives and protecting property, U.S. and Okinawan firefighters speak only one language. That was the underlying message today as Kadena Air Base officials joined with Okinawa City leaders to sign a memorandum of understanding to formalize cooperation between the two fire departments.
The MOU, a product of months of negotiation and revisions, establishes a framework for mutual aid in the case of fire emergencies. Simply put, the two departments stand ready to assist each other in the event of an emergency that one department cannot handle alone.
"This agreement to enhance our collective ability to respond to emergencies that affect both of our communities is a giant step in the right direction," said Brig. Gen. Ken Wilsbach, 18th Wing commander.
According to the 18th Civil Engineer Group commander, Col. Scott Jarvis, the two fire departments have a long history of cooperation and have trained together for many years, but the MOU represents the final link in the chain.
"When an emergency happens, it is so important to have this agreement in place so it's not an ad hoc response every time," said Col. Jarvis.
At the ceremony, the Okinawa City fire chief addressed the gathering and expressed his appreciation to the 18th Wing for its commitment to joint emergency response cooperation.
"To protect people's lives and property, it is a very important challenge for us to prepare for a possible large scale disaster," said Hiroshi Takamiyagi. "We have been eager to sign this memorandum with the Kadena Fire Department, which has great knowledge and skills for fire protection as well as excellent personnel and equipment."
In September 2009, Kadena firefighters and Okinawa City firefighters, along with firefighters from two other departments joined forces to fight a debris fire that disrupted traffic and took more than five hours to extinguish.
A few months later, the two departments responded together again to a three-car accident where firefighters used the "jaws-of-life" and other rescue tools to extricate trapped victims, saving two lives in the process.
In closing out his remarks at the ceremony, Col. Jarvis highlighted the common bond shared by emergency responders everywhere, telling his local counterparts, "When you need our help, Kadena's firefighters will be there for you."
This article was originally published at: http://www.kadena.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123212094
(Posted July. 07, 2010)