Let’s Learn More about Disaster Prevention!
T
his coming March 11 will mark three years since the Great East Japan Earthquake. Predictions are that a major earthquake may possibly strike Tokyo as well, and result in serious damage. Knowledge about disasters and calm actions are keys to keeping injury and damage to a minimum.
The second floor of the Disaster Prevention Center, located inside the Shinagawa City Office, is a facility where visitors can gain disaster prevention knowledge and skills through firsthand experience while also having fun. Admission is free, and you can learn skills useful in an emergency by watching a 3-D movie in a theater where the chairs actually shake with simulated tremors (at a Japanese seismic intensity of 5), a high-definition earthquake movie, and hands-on practice at first-stage firefighting. Since the center conducts events related to disaster prevention—such as the Disaster Prevention Fair once a year—why not drop by for a visit at least once?
Shinagawa Theater
Here you can experience the terror of an earthquake and the importance of disaster preparedness. Through the realistic 3-D movie, powerful sound effects and shaking chairs, you can understand how scary an earthquake is firsthand. Two movies, Jishin—sonotoki anatawa (Earthquake! What will you do then?) (3-D, 17 min.) and Nozomi (Hope) (25 min.), are shown repeatedly from 9:30 a.m. Animated films are also shown upon the request of visitors.
Learning How to Use a Fire Extinguisher
If a fire breaks out when an earthquake strikes, the risk of serious damage rises. If you are using the stove or other heat sources when an earthquake strikes, make sure of your own safety first and then turn off all sources of heat. If a fire breaks out, it is important to conduct first-stage firefighting without panicking. You can use a fire extinguisher to put out a fire as long as the flames do not spread to the ceiling. At the Disaster Prevention Center, you can practice using a fire extinguisher containing water to actually put out a fire under the instruction of a staff member. Let’s learn from firsthand experience so that we can use a fire extinguisher calmly when an emergency strikes.
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Disaster Prevention Goods Area
This corner displays disaster prevention goods, such as braces to prevent furniture from falling, emergency food supplies and an emergency backpack. It is a good idea to consider on a regular basis what you will need if a disaster strikes. Shinagawa City serves as the liaison desk so that residents can purchase the disaster prevention goods on display here at a discounted price.
Note: In addition, there is also a panel exhibit on disaster prevention.
Description of the Facilities
Location: 2-1-36 Hiromachi
Tel: 5742-9098
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, and during the year-end/New Year’s holiday period
Admission: Free
How to get there: An eight-minute walk from Oimachi Station |
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