By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn, Navy Office of Community Outreach
SASEBO, Japan – A North Olmsted, Ohio, native and 2017 Olmsted Falls High School graduate is serving in Japan in the U.S. Navy aboard USS Germantown.
Fireman Karyna Irizarry is a damage controlman aboard the ship operating out of Sasebo, Japan.
A Navy damage controlman is responsible for fighting fires and repairing holes on the ship. If there is a casualty on the ship such as a fire, flood, chemical or gas leak, a damage controlman would be the first to respond. They perform maintenance on all shipboard fight fighting equipment and personal protective equipment. They are responsible for instructing the rest of the crew on how to effectively fight a fire and repair the ship.
Irizarry is proud to serve in the Pacific and fondly recalls memories of North Olmsted.
“I did a ride along with the Brooklyn Fire Department. I had a blast doing those,” said Irizarry. “It inspired me to pick this career.”
Irizarry thus far has prepared for the upcoming inspections in damage control. She is part of a team that maintains the firefighting equipment onboard the ship. They also train the rest of the ship how to fight fires, stop flooding, and restoring the ship.
Moments like that makes it worth serving around the world ready at all times to defend America’s interests. With more than 50 percent of the world's shipping tonnage and a third of the world's crude oil passing through the region, the United States has historic and enduring interests in this part of the world. The Navy's presence in Sasebo is part of that long-standing commitment, explained Navy officials.
Commissioned in 1986, Germantown is the second Navy ship named after the Revolutionary War Battle of Germantown. With a crew of more than 900 sailors and Marines, Germantown is 609 feet long and weighs approximately 16,000 tons. Designed specifically to operate landing craft air cushion small craft vessels, Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships have the largest capacity for these landing craft out of any U.S. Navy amphibious ship.
“Serving here can be stressful because you really miss home," said Irizarry. "On the other hand, you have the people to back you up and help you. I do enjoy being here in Japan. I've learned to be more patient since joining the Navy. One thing that I’ve learned is that when teaching others firefighting skills, they may not have the same knowledge as you but you still need to take the time to teach them. That will benefit the ship overall.”
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Irizarry and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes providing the Navy the nation needs.
“Serving in the Navy means that I need to be able to know what I need to do to help save the ship or my shipmates," said Irizarry. "“It’s also good to know that there's people I know that I count on.”