Firefighters from U.S. Army Garrison Japan and the Higashi-Hiroshima Fire Department participate in a joint training exercise at Kawakami Ammunition Depot, Japan, March 18, 2024. Garrison firefighters have recently stepped up their efforts to strengthen partnerships with local fire departments to boost their effectiveness. (Photo Credit: Courtesy photo)
KURE PIER 6, Japan – U.S. Army Garrison Japan firefighters overseeing widely dispersed sites near Hiroshima have recently stepped up their efforts to strengthen partnerships with local fire departments to boost their effectiveness.
This year, firefighters here and at three ammunition depots have so far participated in over a dozen joint events, from meetings with fire chiefs to basic firefighting and technical rescue training.
“If we have anything [serious], we’re going to be immediately overwhelmed,” said Paul Buckner, the Kure regional deputy fire chief. “We’re going to have to call in mutual aid, so we have to establish those relationships early with the other entities that are out there.”
Due to limited staffing across his organization, Buckner said he has placed a larger emphasis on joint training to bolster interoperability with fire crews in nearby cities and in the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
The U.S. Army also does not have emergency medical services here and instead relies on outside support for medically related incidents.
And those close partnerships have already proved successful in real-world situations.
In May, for instance, Buckner received an emergency call after hours from a landing craft mechanized vessel enroute to this installation from Yokohama North Dock. A Soldier on the vessel had suffered an infection in their heart and required immediate care.
Buckner quickly coordinated with the Hiro Fire Department to have an ambulance arrive at the Hiro Ammunition Depot to transport the patient. He also contacted the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni Health Clinic to have translators help find a local hospital that could see the patient, who was eventually treated and released.
By developing this type of mutual support ahead of time, Buckner said his firefighters can better serve the Army community.
“So, when a Soldier has an issue, they’re going to get that level of care that they think they are going to get at home,” he said.
Jun Kittaka, training captain for the Kure regional office, works closely with Buckner to coordinate joint training events for the garrison firefighters.
“If something were to happen on the base, we may need help from an outside fire department,” Kittaka said. “That’s why we need to have communication with them and have a strong connection with them.”
Earlier this year, the garrison invited firefighters from the Kure City and Higashi-Hiroshima fire departments to join its firefighters in separate training events at two ammunition depots.
Garrison firefighters have also conducted training at local fire departments to learn their tactics in case they would need to respond to an off-post emergency.
“I want our firefighters to get used to doing their mission anywhere, not just on the base,” Kittaka said.
When the training is over, fire crews will also come together to familiarize themselves with each other’s equipment.
While garrison firefighters are also Japanese, the fire trucks and gear they use are made to American specifications.
“The reason why it’s important is because I want [off-post firefighters] to know what we’re doing on the base,” Kittaka said. “And if we need help from outside fire departments, they know how to use the equipment.”
Next month, garrison firefighters will join local emergency personnel for a major earthquake disaster response drill, which is held annually in Kure.
Buckner said he hopes his firefighters will also one day be able to respond to smaller incidents, such as a house fire or car accident near one of the garrison sites, to reciprocate the support they receive.
“My goal would be for [outside agencies] to look at us as a satellite department and allow us to respond in certain areas, providing that we’re not putting the Army at risk,” he said.
For now, Buckner plans to continue having his crew members forge stronger bonds with their counterparts to ensure they are ready for any emergency that may come.
“Establishing those relationships early is what pays off later when you have something [happen],” he said.
