By Engineering Aide Constructionman Casey Smith
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion FIVE
SASEBO, Japan - Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5 Detail Sasebo Seabees and Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo (CFAS) Fire Department joined forces for a fire fighting exercise April 15.
The evolution consisted of a timed fire drill during which the fire department responded to a simulated structural fire emergency.
Seabees served as role players placing a distress call to the fire department and guiding the first responders through the scenario as they arrived on scene. Firefighters in full uniform rushed out of the trucks into the burning building, simulated with smoke machines, and pulled mannequins to safety.
Construction Mechanic 2nd Class Isiah Sanders, from Mesa, Arizona, placed the emergency call to the fire department while Utilitiesman 3rd Class Patrick Sears, from Las Vegas, played the role of an injured victim trapped in the building.
“It was a great and interesting experience” said Sears.
“It was very rewarding to be a part of the exercise itself. We got the chance to learn more about how their procedures work for this sort of thing.”
The Fire Department received valuable training and experience as well.
“Our guys learned a lot from the drill,” said Yujiro Iwata, Drill Master for the CFAS Fire Department, “and that will help us contribute to a safer base.”
The CFAS Fire Department has additional joint training exercises scheduled with NMCB 5 in the coming weeks.