Photo By Capt. Cassandra Gesecki | Service members and their families with 3d Marine Expeditionary Brigade attend the...... read more read more
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CAMP COURTNEY, OKINAWA, Japan – Two years ago, Japan was hit by the Tohoku earthquake – a magnitude 9.0 and the largest quake to ever strike the country. The after-effects of that monumental natural disaster forced more than 10,000 military family members to be evacuated from Japan back to the United States. Areas of the country were closed off, lines of communication were down, and while service members stationed in Japan remained and others based in Okinawa executed orders to deploy in support of recovery efforts – some families were being flown across the world to safety.
The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade hosted Darlene Robinson, III Marine Expeditionary Force non-combatant evacuation operations analyst, on Monday to teach Marines and their spouses about the Okinawan Area Evacuation Emergency Plan in order to better prepare them if a disaster and subsequent mandatory evacuation were to occur.
The main focus of the presentation was how the family could prepare now – before disaster strikes, so that when it came time to evacuate without their Marine, they could do so in a safe and well-organized manner.
Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy, the Commanding General of 3d MEB opened up the presentation with previous examples of evacuations and the reminder that, as the most forward-reaching arm of III Marine Expeditionary Force, the 3d MEB Marines and families must have solid plans in case of an emergency.
“All of the service members assume they’ll receive their orders to go forward,” said Kennedy. “But if you haven’t developed a solid plan to take care of your loved ones when you go, then you’re going to have a gaping hole in your preparedness. And you will not be effective in your mission forward.”
There are some basic things that families can do now - while they are together, so that if the time comes to be separated under stressful conditions, the spouse and children can transition to a safer location with or without their service member. Knowing the responsibilities as an evacuee, understanding the conditions under which an evacuation may be conducted, and having an up to date emergency information packet are just a handful of the recommendations listed on the OAEEP web site.
“Now is the time to discuss and plan for the event that your spouse will be evacuated off of this island without you,” said Robinson, addressing the Marines and sailors. “Not at the time of the evacuation.”
There is a wide array of factors that could affect the safe evacuation of families. The OAEEP web site lists special circumstances - such as pregnancies, children in school and travel for your pet. There is also a list of additional references for families to consult should they have further questions.
Furthermore, the web site explains the various means of communication on which family members can rely if the internet or electricity goes out during an emergency.
Overall the brief brought to light many things that most service members – and their spouses, never considered.
“There were things in the presentation that I just didn’t know – what we would do, the importance of having all of the paperwork together,” said Tara Seykora, the spouse of a 3rd MEB Marine.
“The reality that [an evacuation] really could happen; I think most of us here think that nothing like that is going to happen, and it probably won’t … but I think it’s important just to be reminded to get everything ready. Just in case.”
For more information on evacuation procedure please visit: http://www.mcipac.marines.mil/LivinginOkinawa/OkinawaAreaEmergencyEvacuationPlan.aspx
| Date Taken: | 11.05.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 11.05.2013 22:00 |
| Story ID: | 116344 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 246 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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