HOME活動報告 > Evacuation and Joint Disaster Drill in November 2017: Efforts to Better Support for Non-Japanese Residents in Times of Disaster

Evacuation and Joint Disaster Drill in November 2017: Efforts to Better Support for Non-Japanese Residents in Times of Disaster






On November 5, 2017, a unique evacuation and joint disaster drill were held at University of Kochi and Kochi Health Sciences Center in Ike area. This year we collaborated with Kochi International Association (KIA) so this disaster drill was designed not only for local residents, students, faculty members and staff of the university but also for the city’s non-Japanese residents who are living in Kochi. The foreign residents originally from Indonesia (2 persons), Myanmar (3 persons), Nepal (1 person) and Philippine (3 persons) participated as disaster victims in the drill. It was held on the assumption that earthquake intensity five lower happened in Kochi Prefecture. Evacuation guidance, transportation of injured people, and safety report to the university’s emergency headquarter were included in the drill. The aim of this drill was to raise awareness about disasters, and to enable all disaster risk reduction related public industries to practice cooperating each other and learning what they need in the acute phase.

Overall, the drill was a great opportunity. Lessons included how best to communicate among all those responding to such a disaster. Because in their own scenarios, some of the victim volunteers could not understand Japanese and little bit speak in English. Further, the Japanese medical staff could not speak English well so that it might create a language barrier that impact on the misperception, misunderstanding and misdiagnosis. To solve these problems, we recommend the local hospital could provide electric dictionary and non-verbal assessment tool, and conduct a training to develop interpreter volunteers who will aid in bridging communication between non-Japanese patients and the Japanese healthcare providers. University of Kochi and Kochi Health Sciences Center intend to continue its effort to improve preparation and implementation for the disaster risk reduction through disaster drill every year.




このプログラムは、文部科学省「平成24年度博士課程教育リーディングプログラム」に採択されて実施しています。