USNH Yokosuka’s Emergency Response Team Supports Kanagawa's Annual “Big Rescue” Drill

Photo By erika figueroa | Isehara, Japan - Capt. Drew Bigby, commanding officer of USNHY greets the Kanagawa Prefectural Governor, Kuroiwa Yūji at the conclusion of the drill. U.S. military medical forces joined over 100 U.S. and Japanese disaster relief organizations in the Kanagawa Prefectural Government’s Annual “Big Rescue” Disaster Prevention Joint Drill at Isehara City Sports Park August. 31, 2019.  

ISEHARA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN

08.31.2019

Story by erika figueroa 

U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka

ISEHARA, Japan – U.S. military medical forces joined over 100 U.S. and Japanese disaster relief organizations in the Kanagawa Prefectural Government’s Annual “Big Rescue” Disaster Prevention Joint Drill at Isehara City Sports Park August. 31, 2019.

Big Rescue's mission is to strengthen interoperability between U.S. and host nation medical units, law enforcement, fire and first response agencies to develop and bolster coordinated relief efforts during disasters.

It also serves as an opportunity to increase awareness of disaster readiness for local communities. This year there was participation from nine prefectures, multiple municipalities from Kanagawa prefecture which included Japan Ground and Maritime Self-Defense Forces, military and civilian staff form US Naval Hospital Yokosuka, U.S. Army Camp Zama’s Medical Department Activities (MEDDAC) Japan, and the 374th Airlift Wing all operating under the cooperation and coordination of Kanagawa Prefecture’s Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT).

Other participating organizations included local and prefectural police department and fire bureaus; hospital, medical, and public agencies; government agencies comprised Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) units. Public and volunteer groups such as Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) and both the Japan Red Cross and the American Red Cross each participated as well.

These organizations set up makeshift hospital tents and provide medical assistance to the simulated victims. Communicating through translators, U.S. and Japanese medics performed triage, simulated giving intravenous fluids, and bandaged the victim’s simulated wounds.

The exercise was divided into three phases, consisting of rescue and operation, medical care and medical assistance. Spectators, a combination of host nation citizens, officials and U.S. personnel, watched as participants performed rescue operations consisting of rescue and firefighting operations in a mid- to high-rise building, and the use of power saws to conduct home evacuations and disassembling cars which were staged to simulate the scene of an automobile accident.

This year, the Kanagawa Prefectural Governor, Kuroiwa Yūji, observed the participants of the drill and also gave the closing remarks of the annual drill.

• Date Taken: 08.31.2019
• Date Posted: 10.04.2019 02:04
• Story ID: 345992
• Location: ISEHARA, KANAGAWA, JP
• Hometown: YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, JP