2013 Volume 16 Issue 1 Pages 12-19
Purpose : The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the actual state of measures against disasters and the relationship between that state and the attributes of community comprehensive support centers (hereinafter 'centers') in their ability to promote measures that best protect elderly people in the event of a disaster. Methods : A questionnaire was sent via postal mail to the heads of 238 facilities in Shin'etsu, Japan, an area that faces the Japan Sea. Results : Ninety-five valid responses were received (response rate 39.9%). Most of the centers had adopted a system for maintaining contact with their employees and for them to keep in touch with one another during an emergency, and more than 70% had reporting standards in place and a chain-of-command structure designed to provide an initial response to a disaster. However, only about half of the centers had compiled their own disaster response manual. The study revealed insufficient preparation for community support activities to follow the initial response, such as establishing systems for confirming that residents were uninjured. In the past year, only 20% of the responding centers had conducted evacuation drills involving the local community, and only 10% had provided local people with education in disaster prevention. Discussion : In light of our current observations that only about half of the centers have compiled their own disaster manual, and that not all such manuals provide adequate information, we conclude it to be necessary to compose manuals that give instructions on specific items, and to hold drills based on these manuals.
