K38 Japan's disaster area tour began with Shawn Alladio arriving in Japan tired after delays. He was greeted by friends who took him to visit tsunami-impacted areas. The tour included interviews with tsunami survivors and responders over three days in multiple cities. The goal was to develop training for water rescue responses to disasters. Alladio was grateful to the Japanese organizations and K38 instructors who supported the tour.

1. K38 Japan Tour 2013 Begins!
I arrive at Narita Airport and collect my luggage and find my way to the South terminal, check in baggage
and get my next ticket to Sendai airport. Sendai airport was inundated with the Tohoku tsunami waters.
My flight was delayed and I struggled to stay awake but found I had to lay down to sleep fearful of missing
my connecting flight. Those 3 hours were a struggle. I got onto the plane and fell asleep I did not awake
until I felt the lurch of the plane wheels hit the runway in Sendai, waking me in a shock trying to collect
where I was again.
SENDAI AIRPORT
I slowly shake myself awake and head down to the luggage claim area. There waiting for me were my
friends, the Yamaoka family and Hideyuki Umeda! I am so happy to see them all again! It is time for a
reunion!
We got into the van and began to drive to our next destination, our hotel. First we stopped for sushi and
at a convenience store so I could get water, I was dehydrated. The sushi place was nice; I was in a bit of
a fog. We got to the hotel and Hide, Hiroshi, and his wife all came into my small room. They began to
give me presents which seem to be traditional in Japan and a really nice thing to do, it is much
appreciated.
There is a championship baseball game going on and I think the
Giants are going to get crushed by the Eagles!
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2. At Sendai airport Hiroshi’s daughter and I are underwater at this high water mark from the Tohoku
tsunami. We are inside the terminal; I can only imagine how fast the waters were swirling with debris
inside this structure! They cleared the airport our in record breaking time. This was the first thought that
encountered my disaster tour, that all of the areas were going to visit and study, all of them were under
water, but not any kind of water. The fiercest waters known to mankind, surging tsunami currents.
I pulled out my luggage and began to give out the t-shirts, coins and so forth. I gave the Yamaoka family
a flag case with the patch and 3 NQC coins in it as a thank you for their personal support of the Never
Quit Challenge. I was so tired. After they left I took a shower and crawled into bed. I had had enough of
this day. I was excited to spend time with our K38 instructors and their families on this part of the trip.
I awoke at 4am and could not go back to sleep, I texted and emailed friends and let my children know I
arrived, then got up and went down to breakfast. I filled my plate up and ate. Hiroaki Kishi and his family
plus Kazuya Iwamori were on their way. We waited for them to arrive and traffic was bad so we decided
to meet on the road to our next destination, Mr. and Mrs. Abe, two survivors of the Sendai tsunami. They
also had a fireman there who responded and worked with Mr. Iwamaki during the PWC recoveries he did.
Fate would bring us all together. I can feel the weight of the trip bearing down on me now. The Japanese
cultural mindset is not an American one. I was going to reframe my own actions to meet the sensitivities
of the Nippon needs and not be a ‘rude American’ LOL.
I also wanted to ask hard questions in our interviews to gather insights that may help others in a moment
of need. These survivor stories were important and K38 Japan had made a commitment to develop a
professional dialogue and training program for the types of probably responses our RWC community
would be called upon to produce if possible.
Shawn Alladio
K38 Founder
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3. ABOUT K38 Japan's Disaster area tour of certain areas that were impacted by the Tohoku tsunami in conjunction with K38 Japan
instructors and K38 Founder Shawn Alladio. The disaster area tour covered 3 days and multiple cities with interviews from survivors
and responders specific to each disaster area. The tour was followed up with a Disaster Management training program for instructor
development and K38 Open Water Rescue Course for Japanese water rescue specialists .
www.K38Japan.com
Dates: October 21-November 1st, 2013
Special thanks to Maris and the Japan Transport Safety Board and Coast Guard for supporting my tour
and trip plans, and of course the K38 Japan instructors whom I appreciate most dearly.
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