11:05 AM - 11:20 AM
[O04-02] Case studies of disaster prevention education for children in Nagano Prefecture and other local governments
★Invited Papers
Keywords:natural disasters, education, disaster prevention, children
1. Introduction
Nagano Prefecture has experienced many natural disasters, such as earthquakes, wind and flood damage, and volcanoes, that have required the establishment of a disaster countermeasure headquarters. Having experienced disasters that caused human and material damage, such as the Kamishiro Fault Earthquake (2014), the heavy rain disaster caused by Typhoon No. 19 (2019), and the volcanic disaster on Mt.Ontake (2014), the prefecture recognizes the importance of raising the disaster prevention awareness of residents and others to prevent and reduce disasters.
In the "Expert Meeting on Disaster Prevention Education and Disaster Prevention Management in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake," the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has indicated the importance of disaster prevention education in order to foster an "attitude of taking initiative" to predict and avoid danger when a disaster occurs, but it has also been pointed out that the amount of time devoted to disaster prevention education in current school education is limited and is insufficient to foster an "attitude of taking initiative."
2. Disaster prevention education in Nagano Prefecture and other local governments
Nagano Prefecture's regional disaster prevention plan states that it is important to be able to take action to protect one's own safety when a disaster occurs. In order to respond to disasters, it is essential to improve regional disaster prevention capabilities through cooperation between residents, companies, and independent disaster prevention organizations, and the prefecture, cities, towns, and villages, etc., will "disseminate and raise awareness of practical disaster prevention knowledge among residents" and "promote practical disaster prevention education in schools" in order to raise residents' disaster prevention awareness and improve regional disaster prevention capabilities. It is important for infants and children to acquire correct disaster prevention knowledge in kindergartens, nursery schools, elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools to raise residents who will be resilient to future disasters.
Since fiscal 2010, the prefecture has placed disaster prevention instructors in its departments, and in response to requests from voluntary disaster prevention associations, etc., disaster prevention instructors will visit and conduct "outreach lectures" such as lectures and tabletop exercises to raise disaster prevention awareness and disseminate knowledge, thereby improving the region's disaster prevention capabilities.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was held about 100 times a year with around 5,000 participants, but in some years it was held 150 times with around 8,000 participants. It was a popular event and a major pillar of the prefecture's disaster prevention knowledge and dissemination. It is also able to accommodate requests for events on weekends, holidays, and weekday evenings, which is thought to be one of the reasons for the high number of requests and participants.
Most of the events are held by voluntary disaster prevention groups and companies, but they are also held at elementary, junior high, and high schools, special needs schools, nurseries, and kindergartens. At elementary, junior high, and high schools, disaster prevention lectures, evacuation shelter management games (HUG), and timeline creation are held, and parents have sometimes participated as well. At nurseries and kindergartens, disaster prevention education is carried out using disaster prevention character costumes to interest even young children. It is believed that using this course at schools would be effective for disaster prevention education.
In addition, in 2018, the prefecture established a system to certify people who can effectively disseminate and raise awareness of volcanic disaster prevention knowledge in the area around Mt. Ontake, as well as convey the blessings of the volcano, as "Mt. Ontake Volcano Masters." Some of the certified people are teachers working at local schools, and they energetically educate their students about volcanic disasters, volcanic disaster prevention, and the blessings of the volcano, as well as through climbing Mt. Ontake.
During the Great East Japan Earthquake, disaster prevention education in elementary and junior high schools led to evacuation actions, which is said to be the "Miracle of Kamaishi." With disasters occurring frequently these days, disaster prevention education in the educational field is becoming increasingly important
Nagano Prefecture has experienced many natural disasters, such as earthquakes, wind and flood damage, and volcanoes, that have required the establishment of a disaster countermeasure headquarters. Having experienced disasters that caused human and material damage, such as the Kamishiro Fault Earthquake (2014), the heavy rain disaster caused by Typhoon No. 19 (2019), and the volcanic disaster on Mt.Ontake (2014), the prefecture recognizes the importance of raising the disaster prevention awareness of residents and others to prevent and reduce disasters.
In the "Expert Meeting on Disaster Prevention Education and Disaster Prevention Management in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake," the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has indicated the importance of disaster prevention education in order to foster an "attitude of taking initiative" to predict and avoid danger when a disaster occurs, but it has also been pointed out that the amount of time devoted to disaster prevention education in current school education is limited and is insufficient to foster an "attitude of taking initiative."
2. Disaster prevention education in Nagano Prefecture and other local governments
Nagano Prefecture's regional disaster prevention plan states that it is important to be able to take action to protect one's own safety when a disaster occurs. In order to respond to disasters, it is essential to improve regional disaster prevention capabilities through cooperation between residents, companies, and independent disaster prevention organizations, and the prefecture, cities, towns, and villages, etc., will "disseminate and raise awareness of practical disaster prevention knowledge among residents" and "promote practical disaster prevention education in schools" in order to raise residents' disaster prevention awareness and improve regional disaster prevention capabilities. It is important for infants and children to acquire correct disaster prevention knowledge in kindergartens, nursery schools, elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools to raise residents who will be resilient to future disasters.
Since fiscal 2010, the prefecture has placed disaster prevention instructors in its departments, and in response to requests from voluntary disaster prevention associations, etc., disaster prevention instructors will visit and conduct "outreach lectures" such as lectures and tabletop exercises to raise disaster prevention awareness and disseminate knowledge, thereby improving the region's disaster prevention capabilities.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was held about 100 times a year with around 5,000 participants, but in some years it was held 150 times with around 8,000 participants. It was a popular event and a major pillar of the prefecture's disaster prevention knowledge and dissemination. It is also able to accommodate requests for events on weekends, holidays, and weekday evenings, which is thought to be one of the reasons for the high number of requests and participants.
Most of the events are held by voluntary disaster prevention groups and companies, but they are also held at elementary, junior high, and high schools, special needs schools, nurseries, and kindergartens. At elementary, junior high, and high schools, disaster prevention lectures, evacuation shelter management games (HUG), and timeline creation are held, and parents have sometimes participated as well. At nurseries and kindergartens, disaster prevention education is carried out using disaster prevention character costumes to interest even young children. It is believed that using this course at schools would be effective for disaster prevention education.
In addition, in 2018, the prefecture established a system to certify people who can effectively disseminate and raise awareness of volcanic disaster prevention knowledge in the area around Mt. Ontake, as well as convey the blessings of the volcano, as "Mt. Ontake Volcano Masters." Some of the certified people are teachers working at local schools, and they energetically educate their students about volcanic disasters, volcanic disaster prevention, and the blessings of the volcano, as well as through climbing Mt. Ontake.
During the Great East Japan Earthquake, disaster prevention education in elementary and junior high schools led to evacuation actions, which is said to be the "Miracle of Kamaishi." With disasters occurring frequently these days, disaster prevention education in the educational field is becoming increasingly important