Author(s)

M. Takezawa, H. Gotoh, K. Suzuki, Y. Kakehi & T. Yamamoto

Abstract

Recently, large scale flooding disasters due to abnormal weather have been reported worldwide. These flooding disasters have caused severe damage and have claimed many lives. The medical services play an important role in flood disasters. In this paper, a disaster management plan for the medical services is described in terms of governmental policy, utilising questionnaire survey results, etc. The target areas used for the survey are the lowlands from the former flood disaster areas in Tokyo and Fukuoka, Japan. The policy of the Japanese Government regarding large scale flood hazards has been discussed by a team of experts. Moreover, some flood hazard prevention methods were proposed by the disaster risk management offices of the local governments of Tokyo and Fukuoka. The survey of flood preparedness for the medical services was sent and collected by mail. The main results and conclusion are as follows: It was clear from the questionnaire results that the flood hazard measures of the medical services in large cities such as Tokyo and Fukuoka are fairly poor, although the Japanese government and local governments do provide a guide for the event of a disaster. To reduce disaster risk, it is necessary to direct the promotion of an instrument that can provide guidance for the building and planning of cities and towns in the prevention of flood hazards, to establish a set of capacious shelters, to secure evacuation routes, etc. within a guide that will illuminate a crisis consciousness for flood hazards. Keywords: medical service, flood preparedness, questionnaire, flooding hazard.

Keywords

medical service, flood preparedness, questionnaire, flooding hazard.