Is Misawa prepared for a quake?

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Phillip Butterfield
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  After a long day at work, an Airman lounged on his couch, starring into the blue electronic glow of his big-screen television when he noticed his wife's decorative plants shaking. He canted his head to the side for a moment before a wave of horror washed over him with the realization that Misawa was just struck by an earthquake, and it felt like it was getting stronger by the second.

The Airman sprung to his feet in time to catch a glimpse of his wife hiding under the table before being knocked to the ground by the aftershocks. Once the Earth stopped shaking, they emerged to see the extent of the damage.

The last large reported earthquake here was July 24, 2008, which reached a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale, enough force to break mirrors and crack walls. The earthquake struck approximately 75 miles underground along the northern Iwate prefecture coast, approximately 50 miles from Misawa, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Although Misawa Air Base reported no injuries and damage were was minimal, the situation may be worse next time.

Misawa is located on the Pacific plate, well within a 40,000 kilometer-long area that contains approximately 75 percent of the Earth's volcanoes. This area is also known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. The large number of volcanoes found here lends itself to more seismic activity than anywhere else on the plant.

With this potential for disaster in mind, Airmen from the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron Emergency Management Flight have a few recommendations for service members and their families to help them prepare for the unavoidable.

"If you notice an earthquake and you are indoors, find the sturdiest piece of furniture available, like a kitchen table, and crawl underneath it or get in a door frame and stay there until the earthquake stops," said Staff Sgt. Mikel Rogers, 35th CES EMF operations NCO in charge. "If you are outside, move to an open area away from power lines and tall buildings. If you are in a car, stop, get out and find a safe place to ride out the earthquake."

There is no definitive way to predict when the next earthquake may strike Misawa. Quakes are indiscriminate - they can affect anyone, anytime, anywhere.

"It all comes back to being smart and prepared," said Tech. Sgt. Renaissance Henry, 35th CES EMF emergency management NCO in charge. "Be familiar and understand your surroundings. It's a good idea to become familiar with your neighbors so you can help each other out."

Another equally important action people should take is to secure their belongings at home, said Sergeant Rogers. Taking inventory of your possessions and having those items insured is a way to get them replaced for what they're worth instead of the depreciated value. Items such as televisions and porcelain figurines that are placed on high shelves become potential hazards during an earthquake as they fall and break.
In addition to having your household belongings secure, getting to the local supermarket for limited supplies will likely be an exercise in patience. Perhaps the best method to avoid limited supplies and long lines is to build an emergency preparedness kit.

"There is no right or wrong answer to what you should have in your emergency preparedness kit, but it's imperative that you have one," said Sergeant Henry.

Sergeant Henry added that at a minimum service members should have at least one gallon of drinking water per person per day to last at least three days. The kit should also have non-perishable canned foods and other items that can be eaten rapidly without having to cook, because the power may be out or gas mains could be leaking. She also recommended service members have a battery powered radio and flashlight in their kits along with important paperwork and medications.

In addition to having personal supplies in their kits, people should consider their pet's needs as well.

"A lot of times pets get overlooked during disasters," said Sergeant Rogers. "You don't want to use up all of your supplies to feed your pets,"

Above all, being prepared for an earthquake is imperative, because disasters strike with little or no warning, said Sergeant Henry.

"It's important to know what to do before it happens," said Sergeant Henry. "Typically when a disaster starts, it takes you a few seconds to realize what's going on. Then, it takes a few more seconds after that to react to it."

For the more information about disaster preparedness, visit www.ready.gov or www.fema.gov.