Emergency exercise brings U.S., Japanese responders together

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Phillip Butterfield
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA CITY, Japan (AFNS) --  Airmen from the 35th Fighter Wing teamed with their host nation's emergency responders for an accident exercise here Feb. 23.

The exercise scenario was a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter accident in which two Airmen and one Japanese bystander are injured.

"This was a great experience," said Staff Sgt. Tye Reed, a 35th Civil Engineer Squadron fire protection crew chief. "Working with the Japanese is always a wonderful thing; you don't always get these opportunities to interact with off-base emergency management agencies. It's refreshing to work with different people and techniques in situations like this."

In planning since August 2010, the exercise was the culmination of professionals working hard at what they do, an official said.

"What we saw here today was a validation of lots of hard work between the professionals on base and at Misawa City," said Lt. Col. Dwayne Robison, the 35th CES commander. "These types of exercises allow us to ensure that if something bad was to happen, we as a community are ready to respond."