Groundbreaking ceremony held for new fire station at U.S. Navy Tsurumi Petroleum, Oil and Lubricant Depot

Photo By Ryo Isobe | YOKOHAMA, Japan (May 26, 2021) — Capt. Rich Jarrett, Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), center right, and Cmdr. Benjamin Waite, CFAY public works officer, second from left, Capt. Sean Andrews, Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka’s executive officer, center left, Commander, Naval Region Japan (CNRJ) Regional Fire Chief Pete Sorensen, right, Martin Lewis, Ph.D., CNRJ deputy assistant regional engineer, second from right, and Naval Air Facility Atsugi Fire Chief Brett Johnson, left, participate in a ground breaking ceremony for Tsurumi Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricant Depot’s fire station. For more than 75 years, CFAY has provided, maintained, and operated base facilities and services in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet’s forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families. (U.S. Navy photo by Ryo Isobe)  

YOKOHAMA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN

05.27.2021

Story by Ryo Isobe 

Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka

Tsurumi Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricant (POL) Depot held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new fire station May 26.

Participants included Capt. Rich Jarrett, Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), Cmdr. Benjamin Waite, CFAY public works officer, Capt. Sean Andrews, Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka’s executive officer, Martin Lewis, Ph.D., Commander, Naval Region Japan (CNRJ) deputy assistant regional engineer, CNRJ Regional Fire Chief Pete Sorensen and Naval Air Facility Atsugi Fire Chief Brett Johnson.

“This marks the start of an important infrastructure project for our Tsurumi facility,” said Jarrett as he delivered remarks at the event. “[For] any facility we operate, we provide fire protection, living facilities, and all the support elements required to operate the installation. This project will improve the Tsurumi fire station as well as relocate a fire company from our Negishi housing area, bringing our fire protection program up to modern standards and providing the right facilities to support the mission here in Tsurumi, and for the Navy Region Japan Fire Department.”

In his remarks, Jarrett also expressed appreciation for the government of Japan, the Japan Ministry of Defense, South Kanto Defense Bureau, U.S. Forces Japan, Navy Region Japan and its fire department, Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Far East, and the Japan U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District for their support.

“I thank you for your participation in this groundbreaking ceremony, and for joining us in celebrating and witnessing this fantastic occasion,” Jarrett concluded.

According to Lt. Yipming Tang, assistant public works officer and host-nation program manager for CFAY public works department, the Tsurumi fire station will be the main station for District #3. The current building, which was built in 1955, will be used as a POL maintenance shop after the new fire station is built.

The new fire station will house two fire structural companies, and will be equipped with large class fire fighting vehicles and two small class vehicles. The facility will also provide a new maintenance and apparatus room, day room and residential area, training and administrative area, and ten dorm rooms, enabling firefighters to live and work in support of their duties for 24-hour shifts.

The new facility will be fully compliant with the current building codes, providing more spaces for functional areas, expanding operational capabilities of the fire department to support any emergency situations.

The Tsurumi POL Depot, located on the Yokohama harbor, was originally owned by Caltex, a petroleum subsidiary of the U.S.-based Chevron Corporation. However, in 1952, it was leased to the Government of Japan, and subsequently transferred to U.S. Forces Japan.

In 1971 the jurisdiction of the facility was granted to the U.S. Navy, under the operation of the Yokosuka Naval Base's Fleet and Industrial Supply Center’s fuel department. Currently, the Defense Logistics Agency Energy Japan is responsible for the Tsurumi POL Depot. The new fire station is scheduled to be completed in March, 2023.

For more than 75 years, CFAY has provided, maintained, and operated base facilities and services in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet’s forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families.

• Date Taken: 05.27.2021
• Date Posted: 05.27.2021 20:16
• Story ID: 397660
• Location: YOKOHAMA, KANAGAWA, JP