Newcomers; Misawa is safe! This is how we know

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Phillip Butterfield
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  "You receive more radiation from flying across the United States or living in Colorado than you will receive staying here - Misawa Air Base is safe," said Maj. David Kempisty, 35th Aerospace Medicine Squadron installation radiation safety officer.

Since the March 11 earthquake and subsequent radiological disaster in Fukushima, Japan, some people have expressed concern about Misawa's community and the safety of servicemembers at the base. These concerns are laid to rest with the diligent radiological observations from the 35th Aerospace Medicine Squadrons Bioenvironmental Flight, also known as bio.

Since the March 11 earthquake, the bio flight has taken more than 600 air, food and water samples from Misawa Air Base, with all of the results ending the same way - zero amounts of radiation above background levels found.

The bio flight in conjunction with Japanese authorities, use very sensitive instrumentation that enables the measurement of very low levels - extremely low compared to the levels expected to cause short-term effects such as radiation sickness or long-term effects such as cancer, said Major Kempisty.

"Misawa is safe," said Staff Sgt. Timothy Heath, 673rd AMDS, bioenvironmental technician augmenting the 35th AMDS from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. "We have taken measurements before the Fukushima incident and after and they all comeback the same - no elevated levels. Misawa is safe."