So proud of Jon!

I took a much needed break from how much time I was spending on the computer and TV monitoring, processing and reporting this whole situation. I just needed some time to regroup and do "normal" things for a while. I will post an update from the last week soon, but for tonight I just wanted to share a link to a short new story where Jon and his crew were highlighted. I am so proud of all the hard work that he and all the 36th Airlift Squadron are doing to help the relief and recovery efforts in Japan. They are all so excited to have the opportunity to help out. This is exactly the type of thing they train for.

Yokota's Hometown Heroes 29 March 2011 

3/29/2011 - 1st Lt. Jon Parks, a C-130 navigator from the 36th Airlift Squadron, reviews a flight manual during a mission to Matsushima Air Base, Japan, March 29. Lieutenant Parks, a native of Sacramento, Calif., was part of a team from Yokota that delivered more than 11,000 pounds of relief supplies to support the Government of Japan's request for humanitarian assistance. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Robin Stanchak)

You can find this and other news/photos about Operation Tomodachi (which means "friendship" in Japanese) at http://newpreview.afnews.af.mil/yokota/

Japan Quake Map

This is pretty amazing. The map takes you through all the quakes since "the big one." 731 and counting! We feel a lot of them because we live on the 9th floor of a tower, but I am so grateful we haven't felt them all. Just when I think they are dying down, there seems to be a burst of them. There were two or three that woke me up this morning. Jon felt his first "bigger" one the other night, but I had to smile and explain that it really wasn't that big--nothing fell and there was no need to seek shelter. Ellen either sleeps through them or doesn't seem to notice them. (Thank Goodness!) I think since her legs are still wobbly, she is use to the feeling that the ground is moving beneath her. The earthquakes don't rattle me like they use to. I think part of that is the comfort of knowing Jon is home and I am not the only person responsibly for our safety. I do feel like my nerves are starting to fray from being on alert all the time. I am tired of trying to keep up with the flow of information, the energy it takes to process it and the decisions that need to be made. However, I am grateful to be dealing with all of this with a roof, heat, a cupboard full of food and my family all together. My heart breaks for those who are still in shelters and are trying to even find the pieces of their life, much less put them back together. Please keep the people of Japan and all those working towards its restoration in your prayers!

Click here for the Japan Quake Map:
http://www.japanquakemap.com/

Radiation Risks

This is an informative article for anyone wanting to know more about the radiation risks coming from the Fukushima plant. The Japanese have evacuated people within 20 km and have advised people to stay inside up to 30 km. The US in "an abundance of precaution" have advised evacuation of US citizens within 80 km. We are over 300 km from the plants and should be way out of harms way should the worst happen. I hope this article will help put some of the risk into perspective. It is helpful for me to get facts and information without all the hype that is designed to increase ratings.

How Far from Fukushima Will Fallout Pose a Health Risk?

Amid conflicting evacuation recommendations, radiation experts say that exposures to date have been relatively low outside the power plant and that people in the U.S. will not face any danger.

Read more: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=japan-nuclear-plume

 

We could learn a lot from the Japanese

This news story is a little older, but I think it is still worth posting. I have been so impressed with how the Japanese people have handled this tragedy. We could learn a lot from their sense of community and responsibility. Most of the blackouts in our area get canceled because people have conserved enough power on their own so that the blackout is not necessary. There has been no looting at all, which is impressive when you consider a fact I heard today: The damage from the earthquake and tsunami is 5 TIMES that of Hurricane Katrina in a country the size of California. We have only been here a little over four months, but I have so much love and respect for the Japanese people.

Here is the article, but you should also watch the video: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/japan-victims-show-resilience-earthquake-tsunami-sign-sense/story?id=13135355

Happy Birthday to Me :)

For my birthday, I gave myself the present of no facebook or internet for the day. It was a much needed break! Thank you to all my wonderful family and friends who made my birthday feel special. I feel so incredibly blessed!

The best part of my day was having Jon come home early. He got back around 1 AM and still had to go into work at 11 AM, but I was happy to have him back in the country at least! I spent the day with Ellen and wonderful friends and was surprised again when Jon got off in time for dinner.

Things continue to be good here. "Conditions at Yokota remain the same: clean air; ample food, water, gas, and electricity.  Yokota continues to be a safe and enjoyable place to live and work." (From our daily update from Jon's commander.) There is a lot of debate on base as people decide whether or not to take advantage of the voluntary departure program. With so many people leaving, I am starting to feel a little left out--like there is a really fun party going on and I wasn't invited! If Jon were deployed right now, or wasn't deploying this year, I think I would be taking the opportunity to come home. However, unless the reports change and our health is at risk, I think it is better for all three of us to be together. Jon will be deployed for 4-5 months this year, so I just can't see adding another month to that unless it is absolutely necessary. It looks like things are starting to improve as they have restored power to one of the reactors and it is starting to cool. My prayers are with all those who are putting their health at risk to make the rest of us safe.

Nuclear Boy!

This cartoon has been airing on Japanese TV to help explain to kids what has been happening with the nuclear crisis. It was too good not to share. I know it is a serious subject, but it cracked me up! It certainly is descriptive! I love the Japanese people and how they can make anything cutesy and upbeat.

Just a warning, Mom--I don't think you will appreciate it :)

36th Airlift Squadron

Jon's squadron has been working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since the earthquake happened.  As of last night, they had completed over 60 missions and delivered over 100 personnel and 250 tons of fuel, food, water, blankets, and other humanitarian relief around Japan.  It makes me so proud of all the hardworking men and women of the United States Air Force!

Pretty impressive....

In Japan, the Mormon network gathers the flock

The only thing that rivals the Mormon church’s ability to spread the word is its ability to cope with emergencies.

Within 36 hours of the earthquake striking off the coast of Sendai on March 11, the Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that all 638 of its missionaries in the country -- 342 Americans, 216 Japanese and 80 from other nations – were safe.

Within a few days, the church also had accounted for all but about 1,000 of its 125,000 members in Japan. 

READ MORE...

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/18/6292170-in-japan-the-mormon-network-gathers-the-flock

You Can Help

 Don't just sit there on your couch, watching the news and think "I wish I could do something to help..." It may not be as "exciting" as picking up a shovel or making blankets...but you can still make sure those shovels and blankets get where they are needed most.

Here is the link to the Red Cross, but there are many charitable organizations who could use your help:

http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main&s_src=RSG000000000&s_subsrc=RCO_FrontPagePanel

"Breathe Through Your Nose and Relax"

Good advice from the Wing Commander today. I believe this transcript was taken from a radio interview today. I appreciate all that our leadership is doing and trust that they will do all that is needful. Follow the link if you would like to hear what he had to say about the voluntary departures:

http://www.yokota.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123247212

Voluntary Departures

No doubt you will hear the news this morning that the State Department is organizing a VOLUNTARY departures for some employees and dependents in North East Japan. No one is being held here against their will. They are simply providing a way for those who want to leave, to leave. Basically, they are organizing additional flights for Americans to use if they so choose. We are still safe here. I cannot speak for other areas of Japan, but we are in no danger here at Yokota from the power plants. They continue to monitor the air and water and show no increased levels of radiation. I am at peace about our safety here. I feel like we are getting all the information we need to make informed decisions. Of course, every day brings new information and we will make choices as things evolve. I also want to discuss this with Jon and make a decision together about what is best for our family. I am confident that the Air Force has a plan to evacuate us in a safe and orderly manner if our heath and safety ever become at risk.

Because I know  that in the US the only voices you have to listen to are the news media, I thought it might help you to read a message I received tonight from our leadership here:

Eagle Airlifters and Spouses,

There has been a lot of questions about the Department of State (DoS) voluntary departure.  Here is the best information that I have been able to put together on the situation so far.

Before I get into any details, I want to reiterate that here at Yokota, the water is safe, the air is good,  food is available, the lights are still on and everyone has a roof over their head.  The radiation monitoring has not detected any increased levels on Yokota and the crews and airplanes that are flying relief supplies into northern Honshu have not been exposed to any increased levels either.  Other than the roads being a little congested off base, the little slice of real estate that we call Yokota AB is operating just like it did a month ago and is just as safe.

I cut the next two paragraphs from the State Department website to make sure that I reference the facts:

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo informs U.S. citizens in Japan who wish to depart that the Department of State is making arrangements to provide transportation to safehaven locations in Asia. This assistance will be provided on a reimbursable basis, as required by U.S. law. U.S. citizens who travel on US government-arranged transport will be expected to make their own onward travel plans from the safehaven location.

U.S. forces remain in Japan and the U.S. has full capability to fulfill our alliance commitments to defend Japan and maintain peace and security in the region. The Department of Defense will implement the Dept. of State-approved voluntary departure for eligible DoD dependents. As with State Dept. dependents, these measures are temporary, and dependents will return when the situation is resolved. Eligible DoD dependents will be given travel instructions by their local commands.

The Wing is working on a plan so that those that wish to leave can do so in an orderly fashion.   I do not recommend making any hasty decisions to depart and I want to emphasize that the safehaven could be the gym floor at one of the bases farther south or accommodations that aren’t nearly as comfortable as your current quarters.   I’ll be candid and tell you my family isn’t going anywhere .  The situation here is stable and safe and nothing indicates that will change.  If you wish to leave, the base will do everything possible to move you in an expeditious manner to minimize the distraction to our primary mission.  We’re still moving supplies to the affected areas and helping people to get fresh water, fuel for heat, and blankets to stay warm.  The Eagle Airlifters are the only tactical airlifters in the western Pacific, this is what we train to do on a daily basis and we’re doing great work.

As I get more information on how the base will implement the voluntary departure, I will get that information out as soon as possible. Rumors are rampant and I’m working to get the ground truth put out as frequently as possible.  Please don’t contribute to the rumor mill and remember that each base in the Tokyo area will implement this plan a little differently. 

On a Happier Note: Thank God for Miracles

The sound of a baby’s cry amid the rubble seemed so impossible that soldiers searching a tsunami-smashed village dismissed it as a mistake. But it came again. And they realised they had not been hearing things. They pulled away wood and slate, dug back thick oozing mud – and there was the child they were to describe as a ‘tiny miracle’.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366155/Japan-earthquake-tsunami-4-month-old-baby-girl-father-reunited-Ishinomaki.html#ixzz1GmHZNkBe

Putting Tokyo's Radioacativity Exposure in Perspective

I have mentioned to some of you that I am really sick of the way the media is covering this tragedy in Japan. I feel like they are trying to sensationalize every detail and create fear and panic. It is irresponsible for them to do this for political and financial gain. It takes away from the true tragedy and struggles of the Japanese people. Things are tenuous in Japan right now, there is no doubt about that. The impact of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear plant crisis are devastating and it is going to take a very long time to get back to any sense of normal. But when it comes to the "scare" at the nuclear power plants, I  don't know how many times I can say, "It is not as bad as it looks on tv." I sat listening to one "nuclear expert" the other day preach doom and gloom on the morning news and it occurred to me--They have THE BEST people in the world working on the nuclear power plant issues right now. They are working diligently around the clock to resolve the issue with the least possible damage to property and people. I don't know who this guy on TV is, but if he has time in his day to make the rounds on the morning talk shows, he obviously wasn't good enough to make the team.

 I saw the following posted on facebook and thought it was informative and helpful.

Putting Tokyo's Radioacativity Exposure in Perspective

by Kevin Oconnor on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at 9:00pm

Dear Family and Friends:

Wanted to let you know that as of our last report , Yokota Air Force Base shows no increase in radiation levels.  I know media outlets are reporting that radiation levels in Tokyo have risen since the explosion this morning, but we are still not terribly concerned.

We're not nuclear physicists, but we gathered information from reports made from the Government of Japan (GOJ) and we explored the EPA's website to find comparable radiation measurements.  To give you an idea of the minuscule amount of radiation levels Tokyo is experiencing presently, here are some measurements for you to consider:

the typical chest x-ray is .06 millisieverts (mSv)
the typical flight is .02 mSv - .05 mSv
the typical person is exposed to 3 mSv per year

Tokyo's exposure as the latest reading was .00089 mSv.  Tokyo is 35 miles east of Yokota.

This means that the radiation exposure we may be exposed to is significantly less than getting an x-ray, and certainly less than what we would be exposed to by getting on a flight out of here.

We still feel safe for now and are focused on what we can do to help the relief effort.

Our thoughts go out to the workers who are exposing themselves to radiation to prevent any further danger.

At the gate of the nuclear plant the rate was at it's highest, 11.930 mSv--or about 4 times the amount of radiation one gets each year; then it dropped to .496 mSv by 3:30 in the afternoon, so it is dissipating quickly.

Compare this to Chernobyl, the poorly-constructed Soviet nuclear plant that exploded in 1986.  It released 20,000 mSv on the day of the explosion -- almost 10,000 times the amount released at Fukushima.  Media comparisons of this disaster to Chernobyl are clear hyperbole.

Research indicates that there is no health risk to humans until one's exposure reaches 100 mSv.

I hope this puts some of your fears to rest.

Aloha, Janet & Kevin

Update Today from Our Wing Commander

Team Yokota,

My #1 concern is the safety of this  installation.  Rest assured, we are continuously testing the air here at multiple locations and our results show no abnormal levels of radiation at Yokota.  We will let you know if Higher Headquarters directs further action for the whole of the region and respond appropriately.

Best,

Col Paul "Otto" Feather
Commander, 374th Airlift Wing

Our Monday Update

Friends and Family--

Thank you so much for all your comments, emails and calls. I appreciate the virtual hug from around the world. I know the news reports about the nuclear power plants are concerning, but we are in no danger here. There is no plan to evacuate us because even if "the worst" happens, we are not close enough to be affected. In fact, Yokota Air Base will be the hub for all Department of Defense rescue and relief efforts for the disaster. However, if there is ever a need, the Air Force always has a plan to get everyone and their dog out (literally!)

There is no plan right now for Jon to come home early. They have assessed the situation and decided that the training mission they are doing is important enough not to cancel. I am sure they will bring them back if they are needed. There are still people at the squadron helping with the relief efforts 24 hours a day. We have also started receiving a lot of military and aid workers from around the world.

Tomorrow we will start experiencing scheduled blackouts so that power can be redistributed to the areas that are hardest hit. Please be patient with me as I try to respond to emails and facebook messages. I REALLY love hearing from everyone and I appreciate the comments and I will respond as I can. I am going to start posting most of my updates directly to the blog rather than on facebook. It will be easier for me to have one place to post information and helpful for those who aren't on facebook.

A lot of rumors circulated around base this weekend as people were trying to figure out what comes next. I went to the commissary and got gas today and there were long lines for both. The commissary has plenty of most things, but when I was there they were pretty much out of toilet paper, water, batteries, and bread. Luckily, we have plenty of all of these. I think as word spread about the damage throughout Japan, people realized they were not as prepared for an emergency as they should have been. I also think that some people were buying supplies for their Japanese friends and family off base as well. I am sure the shelves will be restocked soon.

We had a town hall meeting today to answer any questions and resolve concerns. Here is a summary of the updates today from our base commander:

We are in NO danger from the power plants, Air is clean, water is safe to drink, food is plentiful. It's business as usual for medical and emergency services as well as Post Office. There is no gas ration, schools will be open and prepare for scheduled power outages. Be vigilant and flexible and continue to work hard.

Again, please continue to pray for those who lost their loved ones and their homes, as well as to the men and women of Yokota who are working extra long hours for relief efforts.

Thank you for all of your love and concern!

In an emergency you don't want to be without TP!

Before and After Pictures

Follow this link to see before and after pictures of some of the destruction here in Japan. Slide over each picture to see the before and after. These images are unreal and so sad. Please remember, this is over 200 miles from where we live. Our area is basically unharmed.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter.htm

Japan Earthquake - Civilian planes depart Yokota

Another good example of why I love our community here at Yokota Air Base. I am so impressed with everyone who headed to the community center (and stayed all night and into the next morning) when they heard help was needed.  

 

Japan Earthquake - Civilian planes depart Yokota from AFN Tokyo on Vimeo.

In case you hadn't heard...We are all OK.

I started watching "The Today Show" this evening and realized I probably needed to send out an update tonight because the news makes it look pretty bad for all of Japan. First, let me start by saying that we are all fine. We felt the earthquake as a 5.0, but we had no damage at our house and there was no structural damage at the base. From what I can see, there doesn't seem to be any damage in the surrounding town either. We are too far inland and too far south to have been affected by the tsunami. It is very sad to see the pictures and hear the reports coming in from Northern Japan. Please keep all those affected in your prayers. They are certainly not out of the woods yet.

I have seen the reports about the nuclear power plants, but at this point we are not worried in our area. The Japanese news reports (the few I have seen in English) have not been as inflammatory as the ones coming out of the US. I think that is partly a cultural difference. US news reports always have to be shocking and alarming, so it is hard to know what to take seriously. I am confident that the Japanese government and scientists are doing everything they can to resolve the situation quickly. In a worse case scenario, I am sure we will be evacuated.

There is a certain sense of false security living on base. Because our area did not sustain any damage, life returned pretty much to normal today. I went to the commissary to stock up on a couple of extra groceries. I expected it to be very busy and see certain staples running low. It was the calmest I have ever seen it on a Saturday. I asked a couple of the workers if it had been busy at all, but they all were surprised it had been to quiet too. I have since seen reports that supplies are running low in stores in Tokyo. I haven't been to a grocery store off base since the quake, so I can't say whether the same thing happened here or not. We are about 1.5-2 hours west of Tokyo.

Jon has been gone for a few days on a training mission. He was suppose to be gone two and a half weeks. Some of the people I have talked to have speculated that they may bring them home early to help with the rescue and relief efforts. I haven't heard anything official on this yet. Our base did have a few airplanes diverted from the main Tokyo airport and the Red Cross and the military set up the community center for them. They have all since left the base to get to their final destinations. They were asking for volunteers earlier tonight to help clean one of the apartment towers that is empty and mostly furnished to house people being brought in to help with the relief effort. I don't know who or from where or how many. One of my friends went over to help. They were hoping that 50 people would show up, but 100-200 people came to help and they had the whole building cleaned in an hour. This is a great example of how amazing our community is. I am grateful for how supportive it is--especially when Jon is gone so often. The area he is in right now does not have good internet access, so I haven't heard from him much. I have had a few emails and I did talk to him for just a couple of minutes today. He is doing well and has been working long hours.

Ellen and I were home when the earthquake happened. She was napping and I was visiting with a friend who had come to drop something off. The reports I have seen say that our area felt it as a 5.0 earthquake. It was a very strange feeling. I can't imagine what it felt closer to the epicenter. We live on the top (9th) floor of an apartment tower. At first, we noticed the door to the hallway swinging open and shut a little. It was enough to stop our conversation to just comment that it was weird and there must be a draft in the building. Then the cupboard started to rattle a little too and I wasn't sure what was happening. Cara said it was an earthquake, but I almost didn't believe it at first because it seemed too strange. The shaking got strong pretty fast and our building started to sway. I knew there was nothing that could tip over onto or around Ellie, so I left her safe in her bed. Cara held onto the TV and I grabbed the bookshelf because things started falling off of it. Other random things around the house fell off shelves, but nothing was damaged. Luckily, Jon had a few days off last week and we had used that time to secure a lot of furniture to the walls (I was concerned about Ellie or one of her friends pulling them over on them.) If we hadn't done this, I think we would have had some damage. Japan has a lot of earthquakes, so Cara and I were not panicked, but more amazed that this was really happening. The shaking seemed like it lasted a really long time, but I think it was somewhere between 1-2 minutes. We couldnt believe that it just kept going, and going and going....Ellie slept through the whole thing. About the time I started to rethink my decision to leave her in bed, the shaking slowed down and then stopped. I found later that a dresser in our bedroom had tipped over. It pinned the computer between it and the bed, but I think that actually broke its fall and it would have been worse if it had hit the floor. I have friends that had a lot of things broken, but most of them don't have kids. Those of us that have had to child-proofed our houses were in the best shape, I think.

Most of the reports I have seen say we had 20+ aftershocks in the couple of house after the quake, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was much more than that. I have heard that there have been more than 130 in total. I am writing this 30 hours after the original quake and I just felt a good size aftershock--nothing falling, but the bed is definitely shaking. Most of yesterday I felt very seasick like I had been on a boat for too long. A lot of the shaking is subtle, so you lose the ability to tell whether the ground is actually moving or if you just feel like you are swaying. Thanks to a tip from my Aunt, I look at my water bottle to see if the water is moving to be able to tell if it is a real aftershock or not. We haven't had as many today, so I am grateful for that. Every time we have a decent sized one, you wonder if it is going to keep going and be a bigger earthquake.  I still have a bag packed and shoes by the door in case we need to evacuate during the night for any reason.

The community here is very close and has been really great--everyone checking in on each other. A few friends and their kids all came over for dinner last night because we didn't want to be sitting home alone watching the news. (Most of the guys in the squadron are either deployed or out on missions right now.) It was nice to relax, let the kids play and take our mind off things. Our elevators were out of service yesterday after the earthquake, so I got some really good exercise carrying Ellie up and down 9 flights of stairs. (I am grateful that they had them running this morning so that I didn't have to carry up all the groceries.) I ended our eventful day yesterday with a trip to the urgent care with Ellie. She had an ear infection a couple of weeks ago and she has been really struggling the past two days again. She has just been really fussy and not herself. She has had a temperature of 99 - 100 off and on. She has several teeth coming in, so I wasn't sure if it was that or the ear infection coming back. I decided I would rather be sure and not trying to take her in the middle of the night if she got worse, especially when we still weren't sure what evacuees we would have arriving. Thankfully there was no ear infection. I think it was best to check, but it just made our day even longer. Thankfully she was tired enough by the time we got home that she slept through all the aftershocks. She seems to be sleeping well tonight too.

I had to turn off the news tonight. I can't keep watching the images. I feel a little guilty to have things pretty peaceful and secure around here. We are so blessed. I haven't been emotional at all in the last few days, except for one moment today at the commissary. Only some people on base are authorized to shop at the commissary, so they check every one's ID when you come through the door. As I walked past the man checking IDs today, I had an overwhelming impulse to run up and hug him and ask him if his family was ok. I started to get a little teary thinking about how I could ask or at least express my concern. I pretended to look through the coupons for a moment to get a hold of myself. I finally asked him something about the store and then asked if all of his family was okay. He said of course and asked about my family. It was a little awkward and I didn't trust my waterworks, so I wished him well and kept moving. I felt dumb later when I realized I don't know for sure that he was Japanese! I am guessing he was, but for all I know he was Chinese or American and thinking I am the craziest lady in the world. I just felt so overwhelmed by all our blessings and my heart breaks for those who are still not safe tonight or who have lost loved ones. Please keep the people of Japan in your prayers. This is such a tragic time, but I know that God can perform miracles and will comfort those who need it.

We love and miss you all. Thank you so much for all of your concern and well wishes. It really means a lot to have so many caring friends and family.

Emily