Red Cross Hospital briefs HADR fusion cell

Photo By Sgt. Erik Brooks | Dr. Hideaki Sasaki addresses members of the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief fusion cell during a meeting at the III Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters building on Camp Courtney June 27. Sasaki is the director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Okinawa Red Cross Hospital.  

OKINAWA, JAPAN

06.27.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Erik Brooks 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP COURTNEY, Japan - Dr. Hideaki Sasaki briefed members of the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief fusion cell during a meeting at the III Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters building at Camp Courtney to discuss disaster relief drills June 27.

Sasaki, the director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Okinawa Red Cross Hospital, briefed the cell on past and future training missions.

“We brought together our expertise and knowledge, and started some initial coordination,” said Col. Robert P. Cote, assistant chief of staff, III MEF G-3, operations and training. “We know it is not if, but when Okinawa is going to get hit. We are having this meeting, so we can have a better disaster relief process.”

Sasaki shared his ideas and plans for a better disaster relief response program, according to Cote.

“This program is a wonderful opportunity for the Japanese to work hand in hand with the Americans,” said Sasaki.

Sasaki expressed gratitude for how well the two nations worked together during Operation Tomodachi.

“The Japanese and U.S. forces were able to join together and help in the disaster relief,” said Sasaki. “They should continue to do the same type of work in the future.”

The group also talked about past and current operations in Japan.

“We discussed the state of Okinawa’s preparedness for an emergency and opportunities for mutual cooperation in the future,” said Dr. Robert D. Eldridge, deputy assistant chief of staff, G-7, government and external affairs division, Marine Corps Installations Pacific. Each prefecture in Japan is charged with creating policies regarding disasters, according to Eldridge.

“Okinawa has recently drawn out its plan for natural disasters on the island,” said Eldridge. “This year it finalized the Okinawa area emergency evacuation plan.”

There are certain agencies that respond to natural disasters, according to Sasaki. They include firefighters, police officers, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the coast guard and the Red Cross.

The government of Japan set up the Japan disaster medical assistance team to help coordinate these agencies, according to Sasaki. The team is a trained, mobile, self-contained medical team that can act during a disaster to provide medical treatment in devastated areas.

“On Okinawa, there are 12 hospitals with 17 of these teams,” said Sasaki. “Each contains a small team of two doctors, two nurses and two logisticians.”

The agencies have been performing emergency drills on Okinawa to prepare for potential emergencies.

“In the last emergency drill in 2011, a Japan Air Self-Defense Force C-130 Hercules (aircraft) took a Red Cross medical team from Kyushu, Japan, and brought it into Naha,” said Sasaki. “They were then loaded onto helicopters and brought out to care for simulated victims.”

The drills will continue to happen throughout the island of Okinawa, according to Sasaki.

“It is my hope the Marines can join us during our drills in the effort to keep Okinawa safe,” said Sasaki.

• Date Taken: 06.27.2012
• Date Posted: 07.08.2012 21:49
• Story ID: 91256
• Location: OKINAWA, JP