Emergency in Okinawa

CONTRIBUTED BY KANDY

Emergencies are inevitable and usually unexpected. (Like we’d actually plan them, right?)  Add in the foreign country or newbie factor, and emergencies can feel overwhelming.  But with the proper readiness, getting through an emergency will be a little less daunting.

To reach emergency services from on base, just dial 911.

To reach 911 emergency services from off base or cell phones, dial 098-911-1911

The EMERGENCY ROOM is located on Camp Foster at the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa.  

U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa Telephone numbers.  Emergency Phone numbers should be written down or programmed into your phone. (If the power goes out during a typhoon, trying to look up numbers on the internet might not work.)

Red Cross Numbers:
Camp Courtney 622-9729
Camp Kinser 637-1017
Foster Hospital 646-7903
Kadena AFB 634-1979

Many useful Japanese phrases in an emergency can be found HERE.  One word which I didn’t see on the list was Help me!  Tasu-kete! (This word would be used if, say, someone was trying to rob you or if you were drowning.  It is a serious word.  Not the word to use if you were walking into a beauty salon on a bad hair day.)

If anyone has any more information useful in an emergency, please share.

22 COMMENTS

  2. Does anyone know of any health insurance companies or programs for US contractors overseas? I am a US citizen working as a SOFA status contractor here in okinawa. My wife is japanese and REALLY wants me to have some type of insurance. Is there anything out there for me? I know I am able to be seen on base, but it would be as a “pay patient” category. Meaning I have to pay every penny of the bill out of pocket. And since I’m a SOFA status, that means I cannot apply for the japanese compulsory insurance. I dont think I qualify for tricare either. Any information about any type of health insurance for sofa status contractors would be very greatly appreciated! thank you!

    • Shawn,

      I’m also a U.S. citizen (non retired military) who’s here with a SOFA status employer. Fortunately my employer offers me the opportunity to sign up for Aetna global benefits this is good as I can be reimbursed for care here, but it also can be used if I visit or my job sends to the states for a short time. Yes, one has to pay up front when getting care off base, but reimbursement can be relatively quick. I’ve also heard that DODDS teachers and others (who are not eligible for Tricare) end up getting a type of blue cross blue shield plan. In some cases you’re able to go to facilities (off base) who will bill these insurance companies directly eliminating or reducing what you may have to pay up front.

  3. For chiropractic services, DO NOT go to the one on HWY 23. He will mess you up. I went to him 2 or 3 times with an upper back issue and came out with shoulder and lower back issue. Now I go see Dr. Hamid, he is by araha beach trying to fix what the other guy did.

  4. I am the GS Chiropractor hired by the Navy. I expect to start seeing pts mid Aug 2010. When Congress passed into law incorp Chiropractic they wrote out retirees and dependents, so in a nut shell I can only see active duty. All AD must be refered by their PCM at this time and appointments may be made through the PT/OT clinic.

  5. Chiropractic treatment is one of the best methods for treating numerous health problems naturally. After years of experience being a chiropractor, I have found that it is a powerful way to solve many pain conditions, like headaches, neck pain and back pain, as well as many non-pain condition as well, such as fatigue, sleep problems, and sinus problems.

  6. Thank you for posting those emergency numbers! We live on base, and only have Vonage and cell phones. Does the number 098-911-1911 connect you directly to the Military emergency (Lester hospital?) or local Okinawa emergency folks? Thanks!

  15. Jackie I made one of those too! We are on base so it was calling off base or my husbands cell phone that was VERY confusing to me when we first arrived. Having my Home Notebook makes it so easy to find numbers information I need. If you don’t want to make your own Home Notebook you can always go to http://www.momagenda.com and buy a pre-made one.

  16. Thanks for this! Can I suggest that everyone print this out and post it at home? Since we live off base and only have cell phones for local calls and a vonage box for calling home, my husband and I were thoroughly confused about how to call on base from out here. So I put together a house manager’s binder with the prefix substitutions for calling each base, plus other helpful info like samples of Japanese phone conversations (I can email these files to anyone who wants them), and other important phone numbers (housekeeper, salon, library), our family calendar, etc. I have printed this post and it’s going in the book too!