A Training Program to Enhance Disaster Preparedness of Group Companies in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Many business continuity (BC) plans do not mention food and water for BC personnel. Moreover, the BC relies on the assumption that, during an emergency or crisis, employees’ basic needs and personal hygiene are satisfied. Although no one can engage in BC without these supplies, literature regarding companies’ disaster stocks for their employees is limited. We evaluated the current situation of companies’ stockpiles of food and other supplies and what their employees thought about them after participating in a newly-developed overnight training program that allows the participants to experience situations that they would encounter in a disaster. Thirty-three employees from eight companies in Tokyo participated in the program. Seventy-five percent of the participants’ companies had food stocks for three days as instructed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government but, after eating four stock meals, 81.3% of the participants thought it would be better if this provision were improved. The stock rate for bedding was 62.5% but less than 30% of companies stocked both blankets and mats, as suggested by the Sphere Standards. There were several people who complained of sleeplessness and a poor physical condition the next morning and this could be an obstacle in the BC.

Personnel Training Course for Businesses Regarding the Response to Stranded Persons Focusing on Vulnerable People from the Perspective of Business Continuity

“…Considering that over 27% of the Japanese population is now older than 65 years, it should be highly probable that the business enterprises will receive stranded elderly people in disaster events. The current issue requiring the utmost urgency is the lack of sufficient stock space [24]; thus, food stockpiles should be prepared according to the conditions of the weakest victims to make the most of it because the emergency rations targeting them are also applicable for healthy people [25]. It should be mandatory for the firm's risk management to prepare and prevent food-related health hazards, including direct ones like anaphylaxis shock due to allergic foods or secondary hazards like aspiration pneumonitis among older people [26].…”

“…Through the simulation of the sleeping condition, we learned that the participants experienced difficulties in sleeping from noises like the snoring of others, as well as bodily discomfort from sleeping on the floor only with schlaf sheets. In the sleeping condition simulation, the previous study demonstrated the importance of the mattress [24]; it is essential in the mentally and physically stressful life of the disaster victims to secure bedding apparatus that is comfortable enough to ensure sound sleep. Even in the short training course of a two-day one-night period subjecting healthy participants, as we did in our study or in the previous study, the participants complained about discomfort in sleeping on the floor [24].…”

“…In the sleeping condition simulation, the previous study demonstrated the importance of the mattress [24]; it is essential in the mentally and physically stressful life of the disaster victims to secure bedding apparatus that is comfortable enough to ensure sound sleep. Even in the short training course of a two-day one-night period subjecting healthy participants, as we did in our study or in the previous study, the participants complained about discomfort in sleeping on the floor [24]. According to a study, the elderly victims in past earthquakes suffered from a performance decrease in activities of daily living (ADL) caused by sleeping directly on the floor [33].…”

“…A possible solution for the problem would be the use of the cardboard bed: it is useful for preventing the severe decrease in ADL capability of elderly victims and for preventing respiratory diseases by providing users with a certain level of height from the floor, as one could inhale dust by sleeping directly on the floor [37]. As shown here, a cardboard bed has various merits, including the prevention of secondary health hazards during the shelter life or securing personal space for each victim [24]. Using only the bedding apparatus stocked in the model facility in the simulation of the disaster victims' shelter life provided the opportunity to discover essential items in a sheltered life through experiencing mental and bodily stress; it was a valuable opportunity to reconsider the stock of bedding apparatus for the future disaster events.…”

Differences in the Disaster-Preparedness Behaviors of the General Public and Professionals: Evidence from Sichuan Province, China

“…At the same time, many studies believe that the residents’ preparedness for avoiding disasters is simply material preparation, which is measured from the perspective of residents’ material preparation. Among them, the most common way to measure disaster preparedness is to ask residents whether they have prepared emergency disaster kits (flashlights, radios, clean water) (e.g., [ 35 , 36 , 45 , 46 ]), buy insurance (e.g., [ 24 , 25 ]), if they had an escape plan (e.g., [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 47 , 48 ]) and reinforce houses (e.g., [ 38 , 49 ]). In addition, some scholars have noted that in addition to material preparation, residents’ disaster preparedness, conscious disaster risk management behavior is also an effective means to deal with disaster impact (e.g., [ 21 ]).…”