更新日：2022年6月20日

 Preparing for the worst.

Checklist for Earthquake Preparation

In the Great Hanshin Earthquake (Osaka and Kobe) around 4,000 peoples houses collapsed, and many people were found asphyxiated or crushed to death, due to furniture falling and crushing them. It is said that the large tremors during Nankai Trough Earthquake will last for up to 2-3 minutes.

Check completed items.

1．Remove surrounding dangers	Secure furniture and household appliances	□
	Prevent glass shattering	□
2．Preparing in case of emergency	Items to be taken with you in an emergency	□
	Fire prevention precautions	□
3．Familiarize yourself with the transmission methods of information in disaster area	How to use the telephone	□
4．Familiarize yourself with the activities of the volunteer disaster prevention groups	Participate in the disaster prevention activities in your area	□

1．Securing furniture and shatter-proofing glass

Even if your house can withstand an earthquake, there is a danger that you could be injured from items falling down, furniture toppling over or glass shattering. In order to limit the damage within your house, ensure that you secure all furniture.
* If you are living in a rented house or apartment then make sure you consult the landlord before carrying out changes.

Check

• Do not place heavy furniture in bedrooms
• Do not place heavy items in high places
• Think about the placement of your furniture and create a safe space

Securing furniture

Secure tall furniture to the horizontal frame that runs around the room using wire or L-shaped metal fastening plates.

・Screw hooks in so that they face upwards
・Screw hooks in so that they face away from the wire
・Secure to a sturdy part of the chest/wardrobe
・The horizontal room frame will not be firmly attached to the vertical room frames so make sure you secure them together using metal fastening plates
 

Secure short pieces of furniture to horizontal room frames with fabric belts

 
・Hinged cupboard doors above your kitchen will swing open easily when pressured by the items inside so secure them by attaching metal latches
 

Secure crockery cupboards

・Apply shatterproof film to glass doors
・Lay down soft sheeting inside to prevent items from sliding around
・Attach a bar across the front to stop items sliding and falling out
 

Secure refrigerators

Refrigerators are usually secured by passing a safety belt through the handle located at the back. Refer to the operating manual for more details. If there is anything you are unclear on then consult the manufacturer or the shop where the refrigerator was purchased.

 

Securing furniture in houses with reinforced concrete walls

Fix a horizontal bar to the concrete wall and then secure the furniture onto that bar.
* Consult a professional construction company before fixing the wooden bar.
 

Point

• When attempting to secure furniture to a wall with no visible vertical bar support, tap the wall to locate the position of the central bar support and secure the furniture to that.

Materials you need

Flat metal fastener	L-shaped metal fastener	Metal hook
Metal wire (approx. 1.1mm diameter)	Metal screw (For furniture of about 75kg weight a screw 3.1mm x 20mm should be used)

Measures for glass

Applying shatterproof film over window glass and the glass parts of furniture is effective in preventing injury from shattered glass in the event of an earthquake. Film that can be applied easily by everyone available.

Items to be taken with you in an emergency

Think about the members in your family and prepare items neccessary in an emergency. These should be checked on an annual basis at least.

Other items that could come in handy

■Wet tissues　■cling film (for wrapping food)　■toilet paper　■plastic bags
■crow bar/jack　■bike/motorcycle　■tent　■whistle　■mask　■sanitizer 
■Storing food and drink for emergencies
After an earthquake, there will not be a satisfactory amount of food. Each family must prepare food for the time between the earthquake striking and them being rescued.

●Food・・・Prepare a supply for seven days (within that should be three days of emergency supplies)
●Drinking water・・・Prepare a supply of 3 liters a day per person for at least 3 days
●Portable toilets・・・Prepare with the expectation that each person will need to use them five times a day.

Check

• Families with babiesPrepare milk, bottle, baby food, spoon, nappies, antiseptic cotton wool, strap for carrying baby on your back - bath towel/baby blanket and gauze
• Families with pregnant womenAdd absorbent cotton wool, gauze, straps for supporting stomach - antiseptic cotton wool and goods for new born babies, tissues, plastic sheeting, Mother and Child Handbook and newspaper

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Participate in local disaster prevention volunteer activities on a regular basis

When an earthquake or any disaster occurs,  it is also important to work with your neighbours and help one another. There are limits to what just you and your family can do alone.

On a daily basis as well as at times of disaster, there are groups called ‘Disaster Prevention Volunteer Groups’ that are formed to engage in disaster prevention activities by people in the local community working together.

Disaster Prevention Volunteer Groups work towards limiting damage and injury to the minimum in times of disaster by carrying out preparations for the disaster safety checks on the local area, spreading knowledge and information about disaster prevention to the local populace, and practicing drills.

Specifically, we are doing safety checks all around the local area, and disseminating important emergency information and emergency training to people who live in there. When an earthquake occurs, these will play an extremely important role in saving lives. We act as fire-fighting first responders, rescue and relief teams, and gather information such as the safety of the area and its people in the case of a disaster. Finally, we are working with people in the city and owners of establishments to create the use of emergency evacuation shelters.

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