Airman at Yokota Air Base woke up to clean-up duties following a typhoon’s impact this weekend.

Airmen with the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron were alerted in the wee hours of Monday morning to begin recovery operations at the base following Typhoon Trami, which ripped through Japan Sunday.

The engineering squadron recalled members of its operations flight to spearhead storm recovery efforts.

“Everybody got recalled at 3:00 a.m. this morning," said Master Sgt. Derek L. Curtis, the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron’s non-commissioned officer in charge of structures.

Airman Bradley Gustin, 374th Civil Engineer Squadron pavement and equipment technician, uses a chainsaw, Oct. 1, 2018, at Yokota Air Base, Japan. Gustin reduced the size of the tree debris allowing it to be more easily transported for disposal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kevin West)

“We are all working together to make sure there is no mission delay and it is safe for people to go to work. We started off base on Route 16 to make sure everyone out there is good to go and then we came in and started taking care of us," Curtis said in a Yokota Air Base press release.

Destruction to the base included downed power lines, damaged facilities, impacts to military family housing on and off base and more than 40 downed trees, according to the press release.

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“For the typhoon relief, we are going around checking that everywhere on base is safe,” said Airman 1st Class Drew Moore, a specialist within the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron’s pavements and equipment shop.

“We will be able to clear up any fallen trees or any debris," Moore added. "It is all about safety, making sure that there is no damage to the roads, damage to infrastructures so that everyone can carry on their duties and personal lives with safety.”

Typhoon Trami brought widespread destruction across Japan, according to National Public Radio. The storm left more than 750,000 homes without power and forced major airports throughout Japan to close during its duration.

“Everybody is always ready to go,” said Curtis. “What’s special about [civil engineering] is that even though a lot of the crafts are not interchangeable, they are always willing to lend a helping hand. I like to say ‘many hands make light work.’ The more people you have picking up branches and sweeping leaves the faster the base gets back to looking like nothing ever happened.”

Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Before entering journalism, Kyle served in U.S. Air Force Special Tactics and deployed in 2014 to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq.

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