If you live in Kurashiki City and hear the word “disaster,” having experienced the July 2018 Heavy Rain Disaster, you may be inclined to think of flooding.
However, from a nationwide perspective, disasters such as the Nankai Trough earthquake, which is said to have a high probability of occurring within the next 50 years, make earthquakes seem more imminent.
That is why Kurashiki City planned the “Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill.”
It is essential to learn that “you are responsible for protecting your own safety” and reduce the unexpected as much as possible. The drill aims to provide an opportunity to review everyday disaster-prevention measures.
Here is a closer look.
The information presented here was current when this article was published in July 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the “Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill”?
The “Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill” is an earthquake response drill that will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 26, 2024. This is the first time Kurashiki City has held a simultaneous disaster-prevention action drill for all residents.
The purpose is to learn to “protect your own safety” when an earthquake occurs, and to strengthen community disaster-prevention capabilities, starting with the principle of avoiding injury even when disaster strikes and helping people nearby.
Essentially the same as the “ShakeOut Drill”
In other local governments, the “Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill” is held under the name “ShakeOut Drill.”
ShakeOut is the name of a new earthquake-preparedness drill that was proposed and launched in California, USA, in 2008 by earthquake research organizations and others.
The basic idea is to set a date and time in the community for the three-step safety action to take during an earthquake, conduct advance registration and learning, and have everyone perform the actions “simultaneously” wherever they are.
The three-step safety action is as follows:
- First, drop low (DROP)
- Protect your head (COVER)
- Stay still (HOLD ON)
The name ShakeOut is a coined term created by its originators.
In Japan, it is written as ShakeOut or ShakeOut Drill, but translated names such as “Simultaneous Disaster-Prevention Drill” are also accepted. The “Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill” is an example of using a translated name.
How to participate in the “Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill”
It is easy to participate.
Members of the public do not need to register. As advance preparation, read the information page and flyer for the “Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill” to understand the drill’s purpose and content.
Groups (businesses, voluntary disaster-prevention organizations, neighborhood associations, schools, etc.) are encouraged to register, so check the Kurashiki City website and sign up.
If you have an emergency alert FM radio called “Kokucchi,” check that it works, and install the “Yahoo! Disaster Prevention App” on your smartphone to be ready.
Then, take part in the drill at 9:00 a.m. on the day, September 26.
The drill itself takes only a few minutes.
Feel free to participate, and take this opportunity to review what to do in the event of an earthquake.
The “Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill” is being held for the first time. We spoke with Toi Kengo (Miyoshi Tatsuya) and Hiramatsu Yoshiaki (Hiramatsu Yoshiaki) from the Crisis Management Division, Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management Office, Kurashiki City, which planned and is running the drill.
Interview with staff from the Crisis Management Division, Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management Office, Kurashiki City
Could you tell us what led to the planning of the “Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill”?
Miyoshi (surname only)
We actually began considering it in the previous fiscal year (2023), but the January 1, 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake heightened our sense of urgency, and we decided to hold the drill.
Hiramatsu and I went to the Noto Peninsula to support those affected by the earthquake. Seeing the situation in the disaster area, I felt that the city office had not done enough training on initial response, so I thought we should do something to properly focus on and review it.
Earthquakes cannot be predicted with certainty, so “self-help” is fundamental when it comes to the initial response. I also felt that preparedness at the level of individual businesses was somewhat lacking. I thought that if Kurashiki City’s 480,000 residents were prepared to help themselves, we could move on to the next stage.
That is why we decided to hold the drill in a way that would involve as many people as possible.
You said this is the first time it has been held. Is this an initiative unique to Kurashiki City?
Miyoshi
It is the first time for Kurashiki City, but nationwide, similar drills are held as “ShakeOut Drills.”
However, when we considered holding a drill at home, we realized that people were unfamiliar with the word “ShakeOut,” so we decided to use a name that would be easier for more people to understand, and called it the “Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill”.
In terms of content, you can think of it as almost the same as a “ShakeOut Drill.” One feature that may be unique to Kurashiki City is that we also have a system for people to share what they did as an additional drill.
We are doing this because we believe there may be drills that Kurashiki City has not thought of, and we want to learn about them.
What would you like people to think about through the drill?
Miyoshi
I think the biggest problem during a disaster is when “unexpected” situations arise.
It is important to know how to respond when something unexpected happens, but I hope people will also think about how to reduce the unexpected as much as possible, for example by talking it over with their families.
The same applies to government employees.
This drill will be held on a weekday morning, and we need to discuss how staff should act if an earthquake occurs while residents are visiting the city office.
Kurashiki City in particular has not experienced a major earthquake in the past, so there are many buildings that do not meet seismic standards, and we expect the range of unexpected situations could be extensive.
Through this drill, we want to confirm and decide how to protect ourselves first, so that we can move on to the next steps.
What should people prepare first?
Hiramatsu (surname only)
The most important thing is to secure furniture.
When furniture is placed in rooms where people spend their time or sleep, it can topple over, and many people lose their lives as a result.
Please make securing your furniture your top priority to protect yourself.
Another thing I would ask you to do is stockpile supplies.
We often hear the term “rolling stock” these days. Please keep at least three days’ worth of food in stock, using it in rotation.
Rolling stock
A method of keeping a steady supply of food at home by buying a little more of the foods you normally eat, consuming the oldest items first while keeping expiration dates in mind, and replacing what you use.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Food Stockpiling Guide for Disasters (2)
Finally, do you have a message for residents?
Miyoshi
We are holding the Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill in the hope that it will be a good opportunity for everyone to review their earthquake preparedness.
This drill is intended to review “self-help,” but getting that right should help us move on to mutual assistance and public assistance.
We hope you will participate.
From the Writer
Having been involved in disaster volunteer activities during the July 2018 Heavy Rain Disaster, I had come to strongly associate “disaster” with flooding.
What surprised me and made sense when I heard it during the interview was the statement that
Kurashiki City has not experienced a major earthquake in the past, so there are many buildings that do not meet seismic standards.
The Bikan Historical Area is an area where residents have chosen to preserve the townscape through their efforts, but perhaps we should recognize that one reason it could be preserved was that there had been no earthquake.
The drill itself takes only a few minutes.
Why not take part in the “Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill” at 9:00 a.m. on September 26 and spend some time thinking about disaster preparedness?
Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill Information
| Name | Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill |
|---|---|
| Date | 9:00 a.m., Thursday, September 26, 2024 |
| Location | Homes, workplaces, schools, etc. |
| Participation fee (tax included) | None ※Groups (businesses, voluntary disaster-prevention organizations, neighborhood associations, schools, etc.) are encouraged to register |
| Website | Kurashiki City Simultaneous Earthquake Response Drill (Kurashiki City official website) |
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