Developments of Tools to Survive the Disasters –CivilEmpowermentof“ZestforLivinginDisaster”– Survey Report: Developments of Tools to Survive the Disasters – Civil Empowerment of “Zest for Living in Disaster” – Shosuke Sato∗, Fumihiko Imamura∗, Mari Yasuda∗, Motoaki Sugiura∗,∗∗,andRuiNouchi∗,∗∗,∗∗∗ ∗International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University Aoba, 468-1 Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-0845, Japan E-mail: [email protected] ∗∗Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan ∗∗∗Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan [Received September 2, 2015; accepted January 4, 2016] This paper introduces practical efforts to reduce lo- plans and enlightening tools to acquire “zest for living.” cal disasters in the “Project on civil empowerment for To summarize those activities and discuss future devel- ‘zest for life during a disaster”’ undertaken by the au- opment, the project involved the “symposium for promot- thors and the three projects that have been developed ing the project on civil empowerment for ‘zest for life and implemented thus far: “Pocket Notebook and during a disaster”’ in the third UN World Congress on Handbook for Family’s Disaster Resilience (MINNA- Disaster Reduction in March 2015. This report describes NO-BOSAI TECHO),” “Pocket Notebook and Hand- “Pocket Notebook and Handbook for Family’s Disas- book for Boys and Girls Disaster Resilience (BOKU- ter Resilience (MINNA-NO-BOSAI TECHO),” “Pocket NO-WATASHI-NO-BOSAI TECHO),” and “SENDAI Notebook and Handbook for Boys and Girls Disaster Re- CAMP (BOSAI CAMP).” These activities were re- silience (BOKU-NO-WATASHI-NO-BOSAI TECHO),” ported on a public forum in the third UN World and “SENDAI CAMP (BOSAI CAMP)” that had been ac- Congress on Disaster Reduction, where the impor- tively undertaken in the project on civil empowerment for tance of involving all citizens in disaster reduction and ‘zest for life during a disaster.’ prevention through projects was recognized in a com- prehensive discussion. 2. Pocket Notebook and Handbook for Fam- Keywords: zest for living in disaster, social implemen- ily’s Disaster Resilience (MINNA-NO- tation, disaster education, social education, disaster re- BOSAI TECHO) silience enlightenment “The Pocket Notebook and Handbook for Family’s Disaster Resilience (MINNA-NO-BOSAI TECHO)” is a 1. Introduction poket notebook-based tool that provides references by collecting information required for disaster reduction and The authors have been working on the “Project on civil prevention for general households and supports family empowerment for ‘zest for life during a disaster”’ since meetings to prepare for a disaster. The notebook in A6 January 2013 (led by Fumihiko Imamura from the Tohoku size includes five chapters and appendices across approx- University) [1]. Japan is one of the world’s most disaster- imately 150 pages. The authors developed the Pocket prone countries, and Japanese people have long coexisted Notebook and Handbook for Family’s Disaster Resilience with disasters. This situation will probably last into the to foster disaster reduction awareness and support prompt future. Japanese people must “face with a disaster” and reconstruction and rehabilitation during a disaster based “feel thoroughly threatened.” It is also important to en- on the research on past natural disasters including the hance intellectual, mental, physical, and communication Great East Japan Earthquake. The research institute cre- abilities to survive in an emergency by judging and acting ated an indispensable tool for households. The tool is in correctly. We define these abilities as “zest for life in co- the form of a handbook in which useful family rules and existence with disasters.” The authors believe that “zest information can be noted in case of an emergency. A pol- for life” strengthens Japan, making practical efforts to in- icy of the International Research Institute of Disaster Sci- crease the “zest for life in coexistence with disasters.” ence to which the authors belong is “promotion of practi- The project on civil empowerment for “zest for life dur- cal disaster prevention science,” or “development of prac- ing a disaster” promotes enlightening activities that allow tical studies for disaster responses.” The development and each citizen to be aware of the importance of cultivating popularization of the “Pocket Notebook and Handbook the “zest for life.” It also leads movements involving all for Family’s Disaster Resilience” serves to implement the citizens by developing and disseminating symbolic action idea of practical disaster prevention and reduction science Journal of Disaster Research Vol.11 No.3, 2016 443 Sato,S.etal. sites, and contact information of each local govern- ment after the occurrence of a disaster. Chapter 6 can be replaced and updated separately because the hand- book uses a plastic cover. iv The handbook contains narrations of victims in the Great East Japan Earthquake. The narrations (experi- ences and tips) relevant to each page are included in a column to communicate feelings and practical lessens reported by the victims. Fig. 1. Pocket Notebook and Handbook for Family’s Disas- ter Resilience. v Verbs are used in the opening sentence of each page to present specific activity policies during a disaster: e.g., pages on “threats of tsunami” and “safety con- as a practical approach. This chapter describes the design firmation methods” start with “acknowledge tsunami and cases of distribution and usage. threads” and “ensure family members’ safety,” respec- tively. 2.1. Design of Pocket Notebook and Handbook for vi Sentences comprise 140 letters (in Japanese) as a Family’s Disaster Resilience guide: 140 characters is the limit for Twitter posts. The idea of the Disaster Resilience Notebook came This number was adopted because people can easily from a maternity passbook. As a maternity passbook is read 140 letters in a paragraph even during an emer- used before and after birth, the “Pocket Notebook and gency. Handbook for Family’s Disaster Resilience” can be used before a disaster as well as for restoration and reconstruc- 2.2. Distribution and Usage of “Pocket Notebook tion during a disaster. The notebook consists of five chap- and Handbook for Family’s Disaster Re- ters and appendices across approximately 150 pages (de- silience” pending on local governments that introduce the hand- 2.2.1. Tagajo City of Miyagi Prefecture book) in A6 size as that of a general maternity passbook (Fig. 1). It is handy and easily fits into a pocket and bag. Tagajo city of Miyagi prefecture first introduced the The “Pocket Notebook and Handbook for Family’s “Pocket Notebook and Handbook for Family’s Disaster Disaster Resilience” has six characteristics: Resilience.” One hundred and eighty-eight victims were killed and more than 11,000 buildings were damaged in i Users can write down useful family rules and impor- Tagajo city in the Great East Japan Earthquake. The tant information in case of an emergency. Evacua- city attempts to evolve into a disaster reduction city that tion sites and safety ensuring methods that should be minimizes damage during a disaster based on the lessons shared among family members before a disaster can and findings from the disaster. This project involved the be written in the first chapter, “Pocket Notebook and uniform distribution of the “Pocket Notebook and Hand- Handbook for Family’s Disaster Resilience,” facilitat- book for Family’s Disaster Resilience” to approximately ing family meetings on disaster preparedness. 25,000 households in the city in April 2014. The Tagajo City’s edition includes original local information in Chap- ii The handbook is edited according to the “temporal ter 6: tsunami hazard map of Tagajo City, inundation haz- axis of a disaster” to refer to the required informa- ard map due to heavy rain, maps indicating large-scale tion accordingly before a disaster and during restora- and temporal shelters, and contact information for apply- tion and reconstruction. It is believed that situations ing restoration and reconstruction strategies. and required responses in a disaster change quantita- tively by the exponential in decimal hours (10 hours, 2.2.2. Takanabe Town in Miyazaki Prefecture 100 hours, 1,000 hours, and 10,00 hours) from the occurrence of a disaster [2]. The handbook includes The “Pocket Notebook and Handbook for Family’s generally used information according to time phases Disaster Resilience” has been introduced in areas not af- based on this rule: Chapter 1: Preparation for survival fected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, e.g., Takanabe before a disaster, Chapter 2: To protect lives from the town in Miyazaki Prefecture, in April 2014. Although occurrence to 10 hours after a disaster, Chapter 3: To there have been no major disasters in the town, it was survive 10 to 100 hours after a disaster, Chapter 4: To found that a tsunami of 10 m may hit the town per the remain alive 100 to 1,000 hours after a disaster, and “damage estimation of huge Nankai Trough earthquakes” Chapter 5: To live better 1,000 to 1,000 hours after a by the Central Disaster Management Council of Japan in disaster. September 2012. The distribution and usage in Takan- abe town is characterized by the following: (1) the health iii Chapter 6 incorporates specific information on each and welfare department of the town introduced the hand- local government. This information includes disaster book, and (2) popularization measures based on disaster history in the region, hazard maps, list of evacuation preparedness education for children were taken. 444 Journal of Disaster Research Vol.11 No.3, 2016 Developments of Tools to Survive the Disasters –CivilEmpowermentof“ZestforLivinginDisaster”– Fig. 2. Workshop “family meetings on disaster preparedness.” Fig. 3. Lecture on how to use the “Pocket Notebook and Handbook for Family’s Disaster Resilience.” The handbook was introduced by disaster management departments in areas outside the town of Takanabe. The problem of aging population is increasing in Takanabe and other areas.