In Japan, With a(n Earthquake) Plan

My friends and family have long accused me of being an over-planner, revelling to a fault in the finest of details.

And I won’t argue with them.

Logically, I know that my attention to details is not always practical. And I know that sometimes, the more you prepare yourself the harder you fall.

But, planning makes me feel good. I like knowing that I have thought of all scenarios and have a solution for them. I like to prepare for myself and for those around me.

One recent Wednesday, in the wee hours of the morning, I was immediately awakened from slumber. The ground below me was gently rocking back and forth, back and forth. It was the most serene and gentle introduction to an earthquake one could have.

It only lasted about 10 seconds and was a mere “2” on the Japanese intensity scale. But it affected me in a way that I can only describe as uncomfortable.

It left me awake for hours, mulling over our plans, in the event of “the big one”. Did I put enough thought into it? Was ours a good plan? Will we remember what to do?

emergency backpacks

Filled with a two days of emergency supplies for three people. Can be found at: click here.

Be Prepared

There are classes, websites and entire organisations devoted to this topic. I have discussed with friends and locals and have come with our own, personal “preparedness”.

• I have Yurekuru app on my phone. The app will send a signal seconds before a big earthquake. While it is too short of a time to do much, a heads up is always better than a total shocker.

• At home, we have litres and litres of water and dried & canned food in the panty

• We have cash to hand, should we need to leave quickly

• I place my shoes and my eyeglasses by the bed side each night

• We have emergency evacuation items to hand, including basic first aid supplies, torch & batteries, emergency blankets, water, in the event that our home is not safe and we have to leave.

Have a Plan, and another one too

As a family, we have created two simple rules of what to do when and if disaster strikes.

Rule #1 - We have a meeting point

Our meeting point is always home, unless our home is “unsafe”. In this case, we have a local meeting point.  All of our children know this location very well, it is easy to communicate to others (to ask directions) and it is a “safe place” for the community.

Rule #2 - We talk about procedure

It is important for a large, active family to know what to do in most foreseeable scenarios. If the children are at school, they stay there until Johan or I can fetch them. If the children are with me, we go to our meeting point to find Johan.  If the children are on a play-date or other activity, they follow the procedure of the person in charge and wait for us to fetch them. The key is that they are flexible and use common sense. The plan might not be realistic, given the circumstances, and they have to adjust.

Each time I leave the children I always remind them about the procedure. Maybe it seems overdone, but it is so easy to get caught-up in the moment. Especially for kids, I think a reminder of what to do (e.g. while playing football in the park) is a good thing.

emergency phone box

If you cannot use your mobiles, Tokyo has many phone boxes placed around the city.

Stay in Touch

In an emergency situation, tension and stress is high and the desire to speak to your loved ones, even higher. All three of our children have simple mobile phones, with our numbers programmed on them. During the last major earthquake in Tokyo (March 2011) you could still communicate via mobile phones. But what if you cannot?

For the Japanese-speakers, there is a sophisticated messaging system, by which you can dial in and leave and receive a coded message for your family.

For the moment, we have to rely on the hope that we can use our mobile phones. Barring that, we have to meet, finally, in one of our meetings places.

Stay Informed

The aftermath….what happens when the shaking stops?

fire hydrants

Located strategically throughout the city, you can find the hydrants when and if needed.

If you cannot stay informed via Internet, most families have a battery-operated radio to get information (see the things I am worried about!).

Help Others

When you are safe, and your family is too, then you can lend a hand to those who need you. 

Logically, I know we are as prepared as we can be.

But, mentally, what kept me up for hours following that 2 am quake was not all of the things I had prepared. It was, of course, all of those things I kept putting off:

• Buying a battery-operated radio, to receive emergency information

• Putting batteries in flashlights and placed in all bedrooms

• Storing a copy of vital documents in our evacuation kits

• Packing playing cards and other little games to keep the children busy if needed

• How do I turn off the gas??

Hours and one aggravated husband later (he had a point, me staying awake would definitely not stop the shaking) I finally sank back into a fitful sleep.

Unbelievably, around 7am I was once-again awakened with the bed shaking slightly more fiercely this time. This was not the stuff for beginners. This was a 3, which is still relatively low on the scale, but still felt by many to most people indoors.

It was shorter than the earlier one, but slightly more impactful on my fear.

evacuation maps

It is important to know where you are and where you have to go, if there is an emergency.

The National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience has predicted there is a 70% chance that an earthquake will hit directly beneath the Tokyo metropolitan area in the next twenty to thirty years. Depending on the season, the location and the intensity of this occurrence, it is estimated that (in the worst-case scenario) 23’000 people could perish and 610’000 buildings could be demolished.

I suppose that if and when the “big one” happens here in Tokyo, I am comfortable that Japan, Tokyo in particular, and we have a plan.