On September 10, 2015, a natural disaster had struck in Ibaraki prefecture, about an hour north of Tokyo. Some areas are still affected by the disaster, with rescue efforts still underway.

Japan Self-Defense Forces are also part of the rescue team, and their skilled work has been praised.

Making the right decision on the spot

In the photo below, there is an elderly couple waiting for rescue on the roof while each carrying their dogs:

At the same time, about 100 meters apart was a man who was holding onto a post; the water is reaching his feet:

Only one Self-Defense Force helicopter was at the site - they have to choose who to rescue first. Who would you choose?

The Self-Defense Force decided to rescue the elderly couple and the dogs first. Their decision was appropriate - the house in which the elderly couple and the dogs were sitting on was a wooden building, and moments after they were rescued, the house was washed away by the water.

In addition, Self-Defense Force are normally not allowed to rescue animals. But in this case they broke the rules:

There was also a person who managed to take a photo from the Self-Defense Force helicopter and put it up on their Twitter feed:

Self-Defense Forces' job doesn't end with just rescue

Even once the water clears out, the roles of the Self-Defense Forces will not end. They will be involved with the infrastructure maintenance, search for missing residents, and they will even go out of their way to look for items that may be important for the victims (like family photos).

The force and skill this crew has, and the way they use them for humanitarian causes, is simply amazing. We hope that, with their help, a normal life will return to the affected area soon.