Pacific Ocean Division News

USACE aids Marine Corps with lifesaving training

Published Sept. 20, 2016

By Rashida Banks

USACE-Japan District Public Affairs

 

OKINAWA, Japan -- Marine Corps Installation Pacific Fire and Emergency Services, Japan (MCIPAC FESJ) was able to conduct invaluable emergency response training recently with help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Japan District.

The training was made possible by staff at the Corps' Okinawa Area Office who coordinated the use of a nine story tower, with one Construction Representative Donald Hendrix, volunteering after hours to oversee the event.

The tower is one of 14 towers currently under renovation by USACE in Okinawa on Marine Corps Base Camp Courtney. With the large number of towers located on the island, Hendrix said that the training was conducted to help MCIPAC prepare for life saving issues in the event of an emergency and that he's glad that USACE was able to support the event. 

"It is very rare that we get to train in a building this size," said Jerome Liu, Assistant Chief of Operations, Marine Corps Installations Pacific, Fire and Emergency Services Japan. "Because of the opportunity, we were able to produce realistic scenarios and test our response forces. Had it not been for the USACE team, we probably wouldn't have been able to produce lesson learned situations unique to installations located on the island of Okinawa”

Phased, the $41 million tower projects are slated for completion within in the next three to five years, and will provide housing for military service members, civilians and families on Camp Courtney.


Release no. 16-041