Firefighters, EOD Marines conduct first hazardous material training together

Photo By Matthew Manning | Sgt. Ryan S. Potts, left, and Sgt. David L. Crouse explosive ordnance disposal technicians, are decontaminated by firefighters at the Camp Hansen Joint Training Facility April 2. The exercise was the first in which firefighters and EOD Marines worked together. The firefighters are with Marine Corps Installations Pacific Fire and Emergency Services Japan and the EOD Marines are with Headquarters and Service Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, and 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force.  

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JAPAN

03.30.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Matthew Manning 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP HANSEN, Japan - Firefighters with Marine Corps Installations Pacific Fire and Emergency Services Japan and explosive ordnance disposal Marines conducted joint hazardous material training at the Camp Hansen Joint Training Facility April 2.

“It is the first time we have had joint training with EOD, so it has been insightful and educational for us,” said Chuchi Inafuku, battalion chief with the fire department.

The exercise which featured Marines with Headquarters and Service Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, as well as EOD Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, helped the fire department meet its annual requirements.

“We are required to have an exercise for HAZMAT every year to meet the National Fire Protection Association standard we follow,” said Paul O. Sugita, assistant fire chief of operations for the department. “We are trying to incorporate a scenario where both EOD and HAZMAT teams would work together.”

During the exercise, the firefighters and EOD Marines had to assess and develop a plan to appropriately deal with a mock suspected methamphetamine lab filled with homemade explosive ingredients.

“They thought there might be explosives in there, so we went in to take samples from the room and determine what was being used,” said Sgt. David L. Crouse, EOD technician with Headquarters and Service Battalion.

The process of identifying and eliminating the hazards requires several teams of firefighters and EOD Marines to work together.
“Before we start sending teams into the area we have to set up a decontamination corridor, so we can clean off any of the hazardous materials from those who have gone inside,” said Sugita.

The EOD Marines used their remote ordnance neutralization system, an information-gathering robot, to gather information to pass to the firefighters.

“For the EOD portion of the exercise we break ourselves into three teams,” said Crouse. “The first team takes samples, the next team will handle neutralizing any explosive hazards, and the last team will clean up the lab ensuring it is safe of all explosive threats.”

During the exercise, the firefighters and the Marines were able to learn from each other’s hazardous materials procedures.

“It is interesting to see how the EOD teams’ procedures differ from the fire department,” said Inafuku. “When going through the decontamination corridor, the firefighters just start cleaning each other off, and the Marines would wait until they were told to proceed into the corridor.”

“I enjoy doing joint exercises, especially here in Japan,” said Crouse. “Although there is a language barrier, we are able to coordinate with each other to accomplish the task.”

• Date Taken: 03.30.2012
• Date Posted: 04.05.2012 22:51
• Story ID: 86353
• Location: CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JP