Disaster Training in an Unexpected Place: A Department Store

On November 6, 2024, Fujisaki (Fujisaki Department Store Co., Ltd.) held a joint disaster training session for the first time with Tohoku University's IRIDeS (International Research Institute of Disaster Science). The drill included about 100 Fujisaki employees and 50 international students and staff from Tohoku University.

"Emergencies are chaotic, and people tend to panic when they don't know what to do," explains Researcher Miwako Kitamura of IRIDeS, who helped run the event, "In particular, foreigners from countries where earthquakes aren't commonplace may be more likely to panic. So, when Fujisaki reached out for this joint training drill, we thought it would be a helpful experience for our international students."

For many of the students, this was their first time undergoing any natural disaster training. Therefore, the goal of this event was to familiarize international students with what to do during a disaster. That way, during an actual disaster, they're more likely to be able to recall this experience and respond accordingly from instinct. This partnership also allowed staff at Fujisaki to gain experience safely evacuating foreigners, who also frequent the store.

The main drill took place within the department store itself, and allowed students to roleplay a situation in which they had to suddenly evacuate while shopping. Afterall, an emergency can happen anytime and anywhere. While "shopping" around Fujisaki, an earthquake alert suddenly went off, instructing everyone to get low to the ground and cover their heads in case of falling debris. Staff members diligently assisted students by guiding them along the evacuation route, and checking in with each person to make sure they weren't injured.

Partway through the drill, a "fire" broke out and everyone was instructed to cover their mouth with a handkerchief so as not to inhale harmful smoke. Directions were given in a mixture of English and simple Japanese with plenty of hand gestures.

Next, students experienced a recreation of what it would be like to maneuver through a smoke-filled room during a fire. It was a unique drill that allowed students to see just how poor visibility would be in a real fire. Of course, the smoke here was harmless (and even vanilla-scented to put participants at ease!).

"I'm from Indonesia, which actually faces frequent natural disasters as well. However, I've never done a training drill like this before," commented Rizuki, a student from the IRIDeS Tsunami Lab, "This experience actually gave me the idea to try and apply this type of firsthand experience to disaster preparedness initiatives in Indonesia in the future. It was a valuable experience in several ways for me."

Afterwards, students participated in a VR experience to convey the destructive power of an earthquake with a seismic intensity of 7. Participants donned virtual reality goggles and watched an immersive video of an apartment being completely upended.

Participants received certificates at the end, after a brief final lecture. The lecture provided disaster preparedness tips, including some specific to foreigners. For example, there is no need to panic when calling 119 for help if you aren't confident in your Japanese, as they can transfer the caller to a three-way call with an interpreter.

As part of this joint effort between IRIDeS and Fujisaki, there will also be future lectures with more strategies for disaster preparedness, delivered in both Japanese and English. On a lecture held on October 29 before the full practical training, Associate Professor Anawat Suppasri of IRIDeS recounted his reaction to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. He checked in with his community of fellow Thai students to stay safe and connected

After the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, IRIDeS was established with the goal of conducting disaster research that has impactful, solution-based applications. They focus on all stages from how to prepare before a disaster to recovery efforts in the aftermath. A proper disaster response requires members from the entire community to be involved, and this effort to reach out to foreigners will work to strengthen co-operation and communication during a crisis.

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