Rescue Administration

Materials created by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency were translated by the International Fire Service Information Center

1

Framework of Rescue Administration
Guidelines

Specific articles

Specifying standards for the organization of a
firefighting team (rescue team) equipped withspecial rescue apparatus necessary to savehuman lives that is set by the municipality
 Standards of organization, equipment, anddeployment of rescue team, special rescue
team, advanced rescue team, and special
advanced rescue team
 Equipment to be provided

Article 36-2 of the Fire Services Act (Deployment of
rescue team)“Municipalities shall, in accordance with thestandards that are specified by Ordinance of the
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
while taking into consideration the population andother conditions, deploy firefighting teams equippedwith special rescue equipment necessary for the
rescue of human life under the provisions of thisAct.”

“Standards
concerning
rescue operation”(Fire and Disaster
Management
Agency Public
Notice)Matters specifying details of rescue ordinanceand basic matters for rescue operation
 Number, qualifications, and clothing of rescue
team, duties of the chief, etc.
 Standards, signs, and equipped rescue
apparatus of rescue vehicles
 Rescue operation (Rescue investigation,
mobilization, activities, cooperation with otherteams, etc.)
 Wide area mutual aid agreement, etc.

Article 4 of the Fire Service Organization Act (Dutyand jurisdictional affairs of the Fire and Disaster
Management Agency) Paragraph 2 Item 16“Matters concerning the standards of activities
pertaining to lifesaving.”“Standards for
operation andhandling methods
for fire rescue”(Fire and Disaster
Management
Agency Public
Notice)Specifying the basic matters concerning
operation and handling methods of fire rescue
equipment necessary for firefighters in
conducting rescue trainings, and taking all
possible measures to ensure lifesaving by
appropriate rescue operation through stableacquisition of operation methods

Article 16 of the Fire Service Organization Act(Treatment of the status of firefighters) Paragraph 2“Matters concerning the class, training, rules, anduniforms of firefighters shall be stipulated bymunicipal rules according to the standards specified
by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.”“Ministryordinance
specifying thestandards oforganization,equipment, anddeployment of
rescue team”(Rescueordinance)2

Flow of Rescue Administration
General rescue countermeasures
Responding to local rescue cases such as traffic
accidents
Establishment of
unified rescue drill method (1978)
 Standards of rescue operation and handling
methods→ Nationwide unification
Operation and handling of equipment at the time ofdrillsLegislation of rescue operations (1986 - ) Rescue ordinance (1986)→ Standards of organization, equipment, anddeployment of rescue team Rescue operation standards (1987)→ Details of rescue ordinance and basic matters* Responding to rescue
cases by combining
basic rescue
techniques* Addition of necessary
rescue equipment
subject to amendment of
rescue ordinanceLarge-scale disastercountermeasures

NBC terrorism disastercountermeasures

Responding to large-scale disasters following theGreat Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake

Responding to BC terrorism disasters following
the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway systemand the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001

Establishment of emergency fire response team(strengthening of system) (1995)
 Roles of community and fire prevention
organizations
 Review of standards of firefighting activities at
the time of large-scale disasters caused byearthquakes* Following the Niigata Chuetsu earthquake and JR Fukuchiyama Line accident
Establishment of advanced rescue team and special advanced rescue team (2006)
 Establishment of special advanced rescue team, and addition of advanced rescue equipment andspecial disaster response vehicles

Necessity of capacity building for rescue team operations in case oflarge-scale disasters caused by earthquakes (2010- )* Increased need for the standardization ofactivity guidelines for large-scale rescue cases

Strengthening of NBC terrorism disaster
response (2001)
 Enhancement of equipment (amendments in2001 and 2009) Creation of activity manual for fire prevention
organizations

Strengthening response to NBC terrorism disasters (2008-)
 Deployment of NBC terrorism disaster response equipment* Spread of knowledge about urban rescue
techniques and work system in the U.S.

Promotion of sophistication of rescue techniques
and rescue operation system

Enhancement of activity capacity
against NBC terrorism disasters
3Organization of rescue teams and owned vehicles and equipment by category
 Types of rescue teams include “Rescue team,” “Special rescue team,” “Advanced rescue team,” and “Special advanced rescue team.” An
Ordinance of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has specified which teams are to be organized, according to the population of thejurisdictional area of the concerned fire defense headquarters.
 Differences between the 4 types of rescue teams are capacities to control special disasters, which are mainly derived from owned vehicles andequipment and educational content.

Category and deployment

Rescue team

Education andorganization of
firefighters
A team is made up of
5 or more firefighters who
have received special
education in lifesaving.

Owned vehicles

Rescue vehicles(or other firefighting
vehicles)○ NBC-related equipment
Combustible gas measuring instrument,
gas mask○ General rescue equipment
Air respirators, engine cutter, lifeline
throwing gun, etc.

Municipalities
to be applied

Municipalities withfire defense
headquarters

In addition to the equipment above,

Special rescue teamSame as above

Advanced rescue
team

Owned rescue equipment

A team is made up of 5 ormore firefighters who
have received special andadvanced education inlifesaving (including NBC
disaster response).

Specialadvancedrescue teamRescue vehicles

Municipalities withpopulations ofover 100,000, etc.

In addition to the equipment above,○Advanced rescue apparatus

Image search equipment, earthquake alarm, etc.

Rescue vehicles• Rescue vehicles• Special disaster response
vehicles (positive pressure
type, etc.)

Same as above○ NBC-related equipment
Positive pressure chemical protective suit,
radiation protection suit, toxic gas
measuring instrument, etc.
○ General rescue equipment
Large hydraulic spreader, mat-type air jack,rock drill, etc.

＋ Depending on the area,△ Large decontamination
system vehicle△ Water cutter vehicle△ Large blower vehicle＋Depending on the area,△Mobile chemical agent detector△Mobile biological agent detector

Special wards,
designated cities,
core cities, etc.

In addition to the equipment above,NBC-related equipment
Chemical agent detector, biological agent
detector
Advanced rescue apparatus
Radar explorative device, carbon dioxide wave
explorative device, sonar explorative device＋Depending on the area,△Detection-type remote explorative device (robot)

Special wards anddesignated cities,etc.

4Structure of Rescue Team
Rescue operation structure as of April 1, 2014
Number of rescue teams:
1,435 (full-time: 570, Serve concurrent posts: 865)
(General rescue teams: 814)
(Special rescue teams: 621 (including advanced
rescue teams and special advanced rescue teams))
Number of rescue workers:
24,611 (full-time: 8,668, Serve concurrent posts:
15,943)

Rescue Team○ RescueRescue team owns general equipment such as rescue ropes, engine cutters, triple extension
ladders, and air respirators, and firefighting vehicles equipped with them.
Engine cutter

Triple extension
ladder

Air respirators

Lifeline-throwing gun

Portable concrete
destructive equipment

Simplified image
search equipment

5Special Rescue Team○ Special rescue team (set up in municipalities with populations of over 100,000, etc.)
A special rescue team is made up of firefighters who have received special education in lifesaving, and owns
special equipment such as mat-type air jacks, positive pressure chemical protective suits and rescue vehicles,in addition to the general equipment owned by a rescue team.
Large hydraulicspreaderMat-type air jack

Positive pressurechemical protective suit

Radiation
protection suit

Decontamination
showerRescue vehicle

Advanced Rescue Team
○ Advanced rescue team (set up in core cities, etc.)
An advanced rescue team is made up of firefighters who have received special and advanced education inlifesaving, and owns advanced equipment such as image search equipment, thermal image direct-vision
devices, and earthquake alarms, and rescue vehicles equipped with them, in addition to the equipment
owned by a special advanced rescue team.
Image search equipment

Thermal image direct-vision device

Earthquake alarm

6

Special Advanced Rescue Team Special advanced rescue team (set up in Tokyo Fire Department and governmentdesignated cities, etc.)
A special advanced rescue team is made up of firefighters who have received special
and advanced education in lifesaving, and owns robust equipment such as special
disaster (NBC) response vehicles, water cutters, and large blowers that can deal withspecial disasters, in addition to the equipment owned by an advanced rescue team.
Special disaster response vehicle

Radar explorative device

Vehicle equipped with a water cutter

Vehicle equipped with a large blower

Sonar explorative device

Special advanced vehicle* Special advanced vehicle: A vehicle equipped with a water cutter and a large blower

7

Scale of Fire Defense Headquarters, etc.
(As of April 1, 2014)

Number of fire defense headquarters in Japan: 752○ Number of staff members

50 or fewer
84 headquarters (11.2%)

51
to
100
223 headquarters (29.7%)
 101
to
200
249 headquarters (33.1%)
 201
to
300
90 headquarters (12.0%)
 301
to
500
71 headquarters (9.4%)
 501
to
1000
22 headquarters (2.9%)
 1001 or more
13 headquarters (1.7%)☆Headquarters with fewer than 201 staff members account for 74.0%.
○ Category of owned rescue teamsNo rescue teams
22 headquarters (2.9%)
Rescue team
730 headquarters (97.1%)(Including the Special rescue team, Advanced rescue team, Special advanced rescue team)☆Headquarters with rescue teams account for 97.1%.
8

Main NBC Equipment Owned by Fire Prevention Organizations
1. Protection suit

2. Radiation counter

Radiation
protection suit

Neutron dosemeterAir dosemeter
Chemicalprotection suit
(Positive
pressure type)Chemicalprotection suit
(Non-positive
pressure type

Individual alarm dosemeter

Protection suit9

3. Biological/Chemical agent detector

Portable chemical
agent detector

Portable biological agent detector  Alerts with alarms by Detection takes about 10 to
15 minutes.
 Agents to be detected
Anthrax, ricin, botulinus toxin,
staphylococcus enterotoxin B,
bacillus pestis, smallpox

Biological agent collector
 0.5 micron and larger
biological agents can becollected.

4. Decontamination equipment

Decontamination shower
 To be used forbiological/chemical
Decontamination
agent

detecting chemical agents agent diffuser
instantly
 Tank capacity: 11 liters Agents to be detected:
Sarin, tabun, soman, etc.

5. Gas mask

Biological agent detector paper Agents to be detected:
Anthrax, ricin, botulinus toxin,
staphylococcus enterotoxin B,
and bacillus pestis

 To be used for biological/chemical agent
and radioactive dust
10[ Portable chemical agent detection/identification device ] Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer
Identify chemical agents by comparing with libraries
registered by measuring infrared absorption
spectrum Deployed in: Tokyo Fire Department and fire defense
headquarters in government-designated cities

 Gas-ID
Identify gaseous materials

 HazMat-ID
Identify liquid/solid-state materials
11[ Detection-type remote explorative device ] This device has a structure that can
mount chemical agent detectors
necessary for detecting chemical agents.
The main body and relay equipment canbe remotely operated.

 Example of composition
Main body (equipped with a camera)
Relay equipment (same functions as the main body)
Loaded items: Chemical agent detector,
gas detector, infrared camera, etc.
 Fire defense headquarters deployed:
Tokyo Fire Department, Sapporo,
Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka

12[ Special disaster response vehicle(NBC disaster response vehicle) ] In order to respond to disasters involving poisonous materials, a special disaster
response vehicle is equipped with analysis equipment, etc. to analyze toxic gases
inside the vehicle, and a storage compartment loaded with various protection suits andequipment.
 Owned by Tokyo Fire Department and government-designated cities (20)
 Loaded items: Biological agent detector, portable chemical agent detector, mobile
chemical agent detector, decontamination shower, positive pressure chemical
protective suit, etc.

13

[ Special advanced vehicle (Water cutter + Large blower) ][ Water cutter vehicle and large blower vehicle ] Water cutter
By discharging a mixture of water and abrasive at high pressure, concrete and steel can be
cut promptly without vibration or spark. Water cutters will be used at sites posing risks of fireor explosion due to combustible gas.
 Large blower
Cooling of fire by mist discharge and elimination of smoke, toxic gas, steam, and heat bypositive pressure ventilation will be conducted in the case of tunnel fires and fire disasters atlarge facilities.
Large blowers can be used for decontamination by supplying large amounts of air.
 wned by Tokyo Fire Department and government-designated cities (20)Special advanced vehicle

Large blower

Water cutter14

[ Large decontamination system vehicle ] By using a large decontamination system vehicle, decontamination activity can be
conducted for a large number of survivors who are contaminated by a chemical
agent, etc. Decontamination of more than 200 people can be conducted in an hour.
 Deployed in Tokyo Fire Department and 17 government-designated cities

 Shower lane [3 lanes]
Walking survivors lane (2 lanes)
Walking difficulty survivors lane (1 lane)

15

Risk Management Education forFire Prevention Organizations
 Specialized knowledge and expertise necessary for appropriate response to NBC
terrorism are provided in risk management education conducted in Fire andDisaster Management College, etc.
[Fire and Disaster Management College]
 Emergency firefighting rescue team education course•  NBC course•  Special advanced rescue/Advanced rescue course Specialized education•  Rescue course[Prefectural Fire academy] Special disaster course (since FY2004)[Consignment lecture conducted by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency]
 Lecture at Omiya Chemical School, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (5 days)
 Lecture at the National Research Institute of Police Science, National Police
Agency (2 days), etc.
16

The Great East Japan Earthquake

17Outline of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake
Around 14:46 of the March 11, 2011 (Friday), the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred and havecaused extensive damage in eastern Japan, with the seismic center at Sanriku-Oki (moment
magnitude 9.0, the maximum seismic intensity 7 (JMA seismic intensity) at Kurihara City, Miyagi).

Features of the disaster, etc.
 It has been the greatest earthquake in Japan’s history (moment magnitude 9.0), accompanied by three huge destructions occurred
continuously in a fault with about 450 km long and 200 km wide. The shaking of the earthquake continued for more than 6 minutes
throughout the Tohoku region. (Four large quakes were observed in Sendai City of JMA seismic intensity 6 upper for those 6 minutes.)* The fault destruction began from off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture and transmitted in the direction of off the coast of Iwate, Fukushima,and Ibaraki Prefectures.
 Enormous material damage and human damage were caused due to the tsunami.
 A vast area was stricken. (The human damage and material damage have been widespread in East Japan centered in Tohoku region.) The number of refugees reached over 550,000 people (as of March 15, 2011), and many people had to continue to live in evacuation
shelters (69,891 people, as of September 6, 2012).
 Fukushima Daiichi NPS disaster occurred. (The main cause of the accident was the tsunami.) The number of aftershocks (Magnitude 5.0 or more) has been 713 times until now.

Outline of the damage
caused by the Tsunami
Human damage

Iwate(As of September 1, 2014, Fire andDisaster Management Agency)

Miyagi

Fukushima

Number dead: 19,074

5,115

10,496

3,352

Number missing: 2,633

1,132

1,271

226

Number injured: 6,219

211

4,145

183

*As of December 1, 2012, Report of Japan
Meteorological Agency (JMA)(As of September 1, 2014, Fire and Disaster Management Agency)

Damage to houses

Iwate

Miyagi

FukushimaComplete collapse: 127,361

19,10782,992

21,224Half-collapse: 273,268

6,609

155,12273,764

Partial destruction: 762,277

18,827224,158

161,139(As of September 1, 2014, Fire and Disaster Management Agency)

Number of fire accidents
330

Iwate
33

Miyagi
137

Fukushima
38

18

Damage to Fire Protection Agencies
Damage to fire protection agencies in major disaster-stricken prefectures[Major damage to the Fire Defense Headquarters](As of September 1, 2014) [Major damage to the volunteer fire corps](As of September 1, 2014)

Fire personnel

Number of the dead and missing: 27

Damage to buildings(complete collapse, halfcollapse, or partial
destruction)

Volunteer
firefighters

Number of the dead and missing: 254

Fire defense headquarters and fire stations: 143
Branches / Sub-stations: 161

Damage tobuildings(Unavailable)

Base facilities of volunteer fire corps (Office,etc.):
419

Damage to vehicles, etc.

Vehicles: 86 units, Fire boats: 2 units,
Prefectural disaster-prevention helicopter: 1 unit

Damage tovehicles, etc.

Vehicles: 252

Reference: News reports about volunteer firefighters’ rescue operations (examples)
The Fire Bell had been Ringing ... Eleven firefighters of volunteer fire corps were killed or are missing(March 23, The Mainichi)
In Otsuchi-cho of Iwate, more than 2,000 people were killed or are missing due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. At that time, the firefighters of the
Otsuchi-cho volunteer fire corps No. 2 Squad (with Hiroshi Koshida as the head, 28 members) rushed to the breakwater to close the gates, and stayed by
the seaside to guide the residents to evacuate until the tsunami hit. As a result of the duty, four members were killed, and seven members are missing.
One of them, named Fujio Koshida (57 years old), had kept ringing a fire bell, which was the symbol of the fire corps, and he was swept into the sea by
the tsunami.
Went to the Site Immediately after the Earthquake ... 26 firefighters of the squad of volunteer fire corps were killed or are missing(March 28, morning edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun)
The firefighters of the volunteer fire corps Takada Squad (about 120 persons) of Rikuzentakata City, Iwate, went to the breakwater and closed the fiveiron gates immediately after the earthquake occurred. However, the huge tsunami reached far above the breakwater and swallowed one after anotherthe firefighters who had begun to guide residents to evacuate. Twenty-six of the volunteer firefighters were killed or are missing. The survived volunteer
firefighters have continued searching for the missing persons and removing rubble without taking time to mourn for fellows, having pride as guards of thearea.

Firefighters Called for Evacuation until the Very End through Microphone(March 21, morning edition of the Tokyo Shimbun)"Run away to higher ground." These were the last words announced by Ayumu Sakurai (46 years old), who lived in Natori City, Miyagi. On the day of theearthquake, the volunteer firefighter who called at the top of his voice for residents on a loudspeaker in a fire truck was drowned in the tsunami. The fire
truck was swept away and crushed miserably, and three volunteer firefighters were found dead in the vehicle. Mr. Sakurai was in the passenger seat witha microphone in his right hand.

19

Rescue Operations
Kesennuma City, Miyagi Pref.

Rescue operation by fire brigades (1)Rescue operation by fire brigades (2)Rescue operation by fire brigades (3)Rescue operation by fire brigades (4)20Kesennuma city,
Miyagi prefecture21

Local Input Regarding the Great East Japan Earthquake(according to local hearing)
1.

Vehicles could not enter due to rubble. It took more than 1 hour to get tosome sites.

2.

Since water did not recede, we conducted activities in chest-high water.

3.

There are not many sites where survivors were trapped in rubble. Most ofthem were left on the top of a building or the roof of a house.

4.

Since the whole town was steeped in darkness due to electrical outage,
we had almost lost all sense of direction.

5.

We carried sick people on stretchers dragged on rubble.

6.

As rubble was scattered all around and targets were washed away, we
could not find out where we were.

7.

Helicopters were very useful. (for rescue of people left on roofs, forcollecting information, etc.)

8.

We had difficulty in securing camp sites and fuels at the time ofaccepting emergency fire rescue teams.

9.

It was difficult to position the activities during practical searching.

22

Lessons for Rescue Operations and Rescue Equipment
1. Operations at a site where rubble is scattered all around(1) Transportation of equipment is difficult.
→ Procurement of light and compact equipment(2) Vehicles cannot enter the site.
→ Preparation of heavy equipment for removing rubble→ Increase of helicopters(3) Transportation of survivors on rubble→ Use of light and strong sked stretchers, etc.
(4) Identification of the site is difficult.
→ Use of GPS, etc.
2. Operations in chest-high mud and water(1) Vehicles cannot enter the site.
→ Preparation of FRP and aluminum boats, etc.
(2) Difficulty in conducting activities due to wet clothing→ Preparation of accident prevention shell-type dry suits and waders, etc.
23

3. Electricity cannot be secured due to electrical outage.
There are no lights during nighttime. Only individual floodlights can be used.
It is hard to find direction due to rubble scattered all around.
→ Preparation of balloon light, etc.
(It may be used as a replacement for a lighthouse for finding direction.)→ Securing and strengthening of a power generator, etc.
4. Operations associated with a risk of tsunami due to repeatedaftershocks→ Strengthening of monitoring of tsunami and preparation of earthquake
alarm, etc.
5. Difficulty in securing camp sites, etc. at the time of accepting emergency
fire rescue teams→ Implementation of acceptance drills→ Installation of camp sites outside of the jurisdiction, etc.
6. Activities when searching for dead bodies is virtually the main operation→ Review of duties and roles of firefighting services and cooperation withother organizations
24

Issues and measures of
the Great East Japan Earthquake[Preparation of equipment]
Equipment has been prepared based on the issues found as a result of the questionnaire forfire defense headquarters at disaster sites and fire defense headquarters which conductedactivities at disaster sites as emergency fire rescue teams.

Issue 1. Vehicles could not enter the site due to rubble and mud and water.
• Procurement of light and compact equipment(FY2011 first supplementary budget)• Preparation of heavy equipment for removing rubble(FY2011 third supplementary budget)• Preparation of advanced rescue vehicles for large-scaledisasters (FY2011 third supplementary budget)• Preparation of all-terrain vehicles(FY2011 third supplementary budget)

Issue 2. Conducted operations under mud andwater including rubble• Preparation of dry suits, etc. (FY2011 first supplementary budget)

Issue 3. Securing of fuels was very difficult due to unavailability ofrefueling at the disaster site.
• Preparation of fuel service vehicles (FY2011 first supplementary budget)25

[ Advanced Rescue Vehicle for Large-scale Disasters (2 vehicles in a pair) ] Compact advanced rescue equipment for large-scale disasters is loaded into a small vehicle.

Vehicle equipped with air rescue tools

Advanced rescue vehicle
for large-scale disasters(2 vehicles in a pair)• Disaster response vehicles andhigh ground-covering 4-wheel drive
vehicles equipped with air rescue
tools will be lent, with a small
rescue vehicle IV type as its base.

• “Vehicle equipped with an air destructive equipment” is a vehicle which can beused for rescue operations at a site where vehicles cannot enter due to rubble
and equipment transportation is difficult. Rescue operation can be conducted byextending a high-pressure hose (up to about 200 m) from the vehicle equippedwith an air compressor and using destructive equipment attached to the hose.
Filling of an air tank is also available.

Disaster response rescue vehicle• “Disaster response rescue vehicle” is a vehicle equippedwith compact advanced rescue equipment, which is used by
IRTs, etc.

26

[ Heavy Equipment (Power Shovel) andHeavy Equipment Guided Vehicle ][Hydraulic shovel 3 t (or 5 t)]• 3 types of exchangeableattachments
1. Bucket (Shovel)
2. Slewing grapple (grab)
3. Breaker (hole and break)• Radio-operable[Heavy equipment guided vehicle]
15 t truck (with 2.9 t crane)(or 20 t truck (with 2.9 t crane))• 3 types of attachments loaded• Attachment can be exchanged
while being loaded.
27

International Rescue Team (IRT)28

Outline of the International Rescue Team International Rescue Team (IRT) is organized by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency with registered rescuers ofcooperative municipalities as members. (Registration: 599 personnel of 77 fire defense headquarters) Upon the dispatch, based on the Act on Dispatchment of the Japan Disaster Relief Team and requests from thedisaster-stricken countries or international organizations, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency discusses with
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and requests for the fire defense headquarter in charge of the duty on the day of therequest to dispatch rescue teams.
 Duty roaster(2)
Discussion
Instruction
s
JICA

(3)
Request to
dispatch

Registered fire defense
headquarters

Fire and Disaster Management
Agency of the Ministry ofInternal Affairs andCommunications(1)
Requestfor rescue

Ministry of Foreign Affairsof Japan

Disaster-stricken
countries andinternationalorganizations

 Flow from a request to a dispatch

A fire defense headquarter that is in charge of the duty on the day(Japan time) when the Secretary requests the dispatch will bedispatched.
(4)
Dispatch

Dispatchingaffairs

International disaster
rescueRescue teamMaterial aid
Financial aid

Medical teamTeam of experts
Team of the SelfDefense Force

Group

No. 1

No. 2

No. 3

No. 13

No. 14

No. 15

Date

1, 2

3, 4

5, 6

25, 2627, 2829, 30, 31

Tokyo

Tokyo

Tokyo

Tokyo

Tokyo

Tokyo

Shizuoka

SapporoFukuoka

Saitama

Niigata

Osaka

SapporoFukuoka

Hiroshima

Hamamatsu

Osaka

Okayama

KawagoeIchihara

Kumamoto

Akita

Utsunomiya

Kanazawa

TakasakiMoriguchi /KadomaMatsuyama

ToyamaMito

Niigata…

…

Yokosuka Funabashi Ibaraki Seinan Positioning of the International Rescue Team (IRT)

Human aid
(Japan Disaster
Relief Team)

Mobilization
order

First

International
Rescue Team (IRT)

PoliceHachinohe

NaganoTokushima

Kagoshima

Nara

Joetsu

Iwaki

MaebashiMiyazakiOkayama

Iwaki

Maebashi…

Japan Coast Guard

Doctors & nurses
Emergency
measures fordisasters
Recovery fromdisasters

Matsuyama Kagoshima

Nara

Kanazawa Hachinohe

NaganoKumamoto Yokosuka

Funabashi

…

…

Sakai

Hamamatsu Shizuoka Pref.

Mito

TakasakiMoriguchi /KadomaShimonoseki

Akita

Utsunomiya

HimejiKawagoeIchihara

Second…

Japan Disaster Relief Team (International Rescue Team)
Actual dispatching results so far

10
13

3
12

19
16

7
15

1

11

5
14
6

4

2

9

8
17

18

Since these disasters occurred prior to the enforcement of the Act on
Dispatchment of the Japan Disaster Relief Team, the rescue teams weredispatched as short-term expert teams of JICA.

1

1986

Republic of Cameroon (blowout of toxic gas)

2

1986

El Salvador Republic (earthquake)

3

1990

Islamic Republic of Iran (earthquake)

4

1990

Philippines (earthquake)

5

1991

People's Republic of Bangladesh(cyclone)

6

1993

Malaysia (building collapse)

7

1996

Arab Republic of Egypt (building collapse)

8

1997

Republic of Indonesia (forest fire)

9

1999

Republic of Colombia (earthquake)

10

1999

Republic of Turkey (earthquake)

11

1999

Taiwan (earthquake)

12

2003

People's Democratic Republic of Algeria(earthquake)

13

2004

Kingdom of Morocco (earthquake)

14

2004

Kingdom of Thailand (the earthquake)

15

2005

Islamic Republic of Pakistan (earthquake)

16

2008

Republic of China (earthquake)

17

2009

Republic of Indonesia (earthquake)

18

2011

New Zealand (earthquake)

19

2015

Nepal (earthquake)30

Outline of the 2015 Nepal Earthquake
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal• Population: 26.49 million people (based on the Central Bureau of Statistics Survey of the Government of
Nepal, 2011)• Area: 14.7 square kilometers (approximately 1.8 times that of Hokkaido)• Time difference from Japan: -3:15• Capital: Kathmandu• Altitude: 1,300 m• Climate: average temperature in April: maximum 28.2°C, minimum 11.7°C

Outline of the Earthquake
Date of the earthquake: around 15:11 on April 25, 2015 (Saturday) (11:56 on the same day in the local time)
The epicenter: Lamjung district, Gandaki zone (about 80 km northwest of the capital Kathmandu)
Scale of the earthquake: Magnitude 7.8 (Latest release of the United States Geological Survey (USGS))

Outline of the damage caused by the Tsunami
Deaths: 8,460 people (May 15, 10:00 in the local time, including the 117 people who were killed in the aftershocks
on May 12, publicized by the Interior Department of Nepal)
Injured: 20,741 people (including 2,871 people in aftershocks on May 12)
Damage to Japanese: one killed person (a man in his 50s), one injured person (a woman in her 50s). No othercases of severe damage to Japanese nationals or Japanese companies have been reported.

31

Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Narita: departed on April 26, 17:52

Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Kathmandu: arrived on April 28, 11:45(Time difference from Japan: -3:15)

Himalaya Mountains
Humla
Darchula
Bajhang

Dadeldhura
Dandeldhura

Doti

Kanchanpur
Dhangarhi

AchhamSeismic center

Jumla
Jumla

Kalikot

Dolpa
Mustang

Dailekh
Kailali

Arrived at Bangkok on April 26, 22:40(Time difference from Japan: -2:00)

Mugu
BajuraBaitadiJajarkot
Rukum

SurkhetBardiya

Nepalganj

ManangMyagdiSalyan

Rolpa

SallyanBaglung
Baglung

Pyuthan

Banke

Gulmi

Syangja

Dang
Arghakhanchi
Kapilbastu

Lamjung

PokharaRasuwaApprox.
80 km

Kathmandu

TanahuPalpa

Rupandehi
Bhairawa

EverestGorkhaNuwakot Sindhupalchok
Dolakha

Dhading

Nawalparasi

Chitawan

Makawanpur
Bhimphedi
HetaudaParsa
Bara
Birganj

Solukhumbu
Sankhuwasabha Taplejung

LalitpurRamechhap
Sindhuli
SarlahiOkhaldhunga
hotang Bhojpur
UdayapurSirahaKathmandu

Saptari
Rajbiraj

Dhankuta
Sunsari Morang

IlamIlam
Jhapa

Biratnagar

0

50
km

32

Japan Disaster Relief Team for the 2015 Nepal Earthquake
Dispatch System
Head: 1 person
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Subhead: 4 persons
National Police Agency, Fire and Disaster
Management Agency, Japan Coast Guard, JICA

Medical team: 5 persons
Doctors & nurses, etc.

Japan Disaster Relief Team: 70 members
There are 17 fire officials among them.
Subhead: Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Ministry of Internal
Affairs and Communications
Company commander: Tokyo Fire Department
Assistant of the company commander: Tokyo Fire Department
Firefighters of the Tokyo Fire Department: 4 persons
Saitama City Fire Department: 3 persons
Hamamatsu City Fire Department: 3 persons
Kawagoe District Fire Department: 1 person
Akita City Fire‐Defense Headquarter: 1 person
Takasaki City and Wide-Area Fire Department: 1 person
Toyama City Fire Department: 1 person

Structure evaluation: 2 architects of private companies
Project coordinator: 7 officials of JICA
In charge of communication: 2 officials of theMetropolitan Police Department

Subhead: 1 person
Tokyo Fire Department

Subhead: 1 person
Metropolitan Police
Department

Assistant of the subhead:
1 personTokyo Fire Department

Platoon: 10 persons
A combined rescue
team consists ofthe staff of fire,police, and theJapan Coast Guard

Platoon: 10 persons
A combined rescue
team consists ofthe staff of fire,police, and theJapan Coast Guard

Assistant of the subhead:
1 personMetropolitan Police Department

Platoon: 10 persons
A combined rescue
team consists ofthe staff of fire,police, and theJapan Coast Guard

Rescue dog team:
5 persons
Metropolitan
Police Department

Platoon: 10 persons
A combined rescue
team consists of thestaff of fire, police,
and the Japan Coast
Guard

33

Outline of the Dispatch of the Japan Disaster Relief Team
[Dispatched period: From April 26 to May 9, 2015 (14 days)] April 26 (Sunday)
12:00: Gathered at the Narita International Airport.
Inaugural meeting of the Japan Disaster Relief Team
Dispatch ceremony of the International Rescue Team (The message of the Minister of the Internal Affairs was read by
the Counselor.)
18:00: Departed from the Narita International Airport for Bangkok by charter flights.
 April 27 (Monday)
The rescue team traveled from Bangkok to Kathmandu, but could not land due to the congestion of the airport and had to turnback to Bangkok.
 From April 28 (Tuesday) to May 6 (Wednesday) (Rescue operation for 9 days)
After arriving at Kathmandu, the team carried out search and rescue operations.
[Major operation sites] Around the old Royal Palace (Hanuman Dhoka)  Bhaktapur and its northern areas  Sankhu village  Gongbu district
 May 7 (Friday)
Preparation for withdraw, Reports of departure for Japan to the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal,
Armed Police Force of Nepal, and the Embassy of Japan in Nepal, etc.
 May 8 (Friday)
13:30 (Nepal time): Departure, via Bangkok (divided into two flights for boarding) May 9 (Saturday)[First fright] around 6:10 (Japan time) arrived at the Narita International Airport.
[Second flight] around 7:40 (Japan time) arrived at the Narita International Airport.
Breaking-up ceremony of the Japan Disaster Relief Team
Disbanding ceremony of the International Rescue Team34

MA017

Outline of Rescue Operations by Japan Disaster Relief Team in the 2015 Nepal Earthquake
Chin
a
G1

Headquarters of the Armed
Police Force of Nepal

May 3, 4, 5
Gongbu district

RussiaG2

May 1, 2
Sankhu village
Headquarters of the Nepalese Armed
ForcesHolding OSOCC meetings in the morning

April 28, 29, 30
Around the old Royal Palace(Hanuman Dhoka)
One person was found in die on April 29.

R575f2RTmTik
The Everest Hotel
BoO(Base of Operation)

April 30
Around the west side of the
airportOSOCC(On-Site Operations
Coordination Center)

April 29
Bhaktapur´

Epicenter: Lamjung district★Capital: Kathmandu

35

Rescue Operations in Sites

36

Coordination of the rescue operations in disaster-stricken areas overseas<International society>
Dispatched
immediately after
the disasteroccursUnited Nations Officefor Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs

An emergency rescue teamdispatched upon the request to
strengthen the coordination
function of the United Nations in
disaster-stricken countries

United Nations Disaster
Assessment andCoordination<Disaster-stricken countries> Survey and information
gathering of disasters Launch of the OSOCC
 Various coordination

Coordination, cooperation,and support

International rescue team ofeach country

Reception and
Departure Centre(INSARAG member countries, etc.)

Assigning operationsites according to
the capacity of eachinternational rescue
team
Coordinating
rescue operationsof each supporting
country

A department that has
the right to make thefinal decision over theentire sections in thedisaster-stricken area
(Government local
response
headquarters)

Local Emergency
Management
AgencyOn Site Operational
Coordination Center
Either of the UNDAC team or a
rescue team that arrived firstat the site will open the
OSOCC.

Site A

Site B

Site C37

INSARAG External Classification (IEC)Light

PurposeAccording to the INSARAG guidelines, the capacity ofeach country’s rescue team is classified into two levels;
Heavy and Medium; by using a checklists containing 130
items.
→ Use as a guide of acceptance of a rescue team ineach disaster-stricken country→ Standardize the organization and capacity of eachcountry’s rescue team
→ Use for considering the assignment of operation
site
Evaluation methods and details• Mutual evaluation by the team of evaluators electedfrom member countries (about 10 persons)• Re-evaluation of every 5 years (IER)(Japan was re-certified as “Heavy” level in March 2015.)
Requirements for the team of “Heavy” level• Setting of the OSOCC and the management• Ability to provide rescue operations continuously for
10 days• System to provide rescue operations in two places atthe same time
• Search operations using both search equipment andrescue dogs, etc.

MediumHeavy

Place of rescue
operation

Within the homecountry

Within the home country With in the home country
and overseas
and overseas

Capability ofsearch and rescue
operations

On the ground

Structure collapsed site

Particularly complicatedstructure collapsed site

Search operations

Search operations byusing search dogs or
search equipment

Search operations byusing search dogs andsearch equipment

Start of rescue
operations in
disaster-stricken
areas

Gathering at the airportof each team’s country
within 8 hours after thedecision making.

Gathering at the airportof each team’s country
within 8 hours after thedecision making.

7 days10 days

1 site2 sites or more

Independent
operation period

3 daysPossible operationsites at the sametime

IEC certification of each countries
Heavy
2005

Hungary (HUNNOR)

2006

UK, U.S. (Fairfax)

2007
2008

U.S. (LA) the Netherlands,
Germany (THW)Singapore, Sweden
Australia (QFRS), Switzerland

MediumGermany (ISAR)
Norway2009

Poland, Iceland, China

UAE (promoted to the “Heavy” level in 2013)2010

Japan, Denmark, Czech Republic

Belgium, France (PUI)

2011

Russia, Korea

2012
2013
2014

Finland, Austria
Australia (NSW), Turkey (AFAD)

Lithuania, Austria, Turkey (AKUT)
Spain (UME), Spain (ERICAM)
Oman, Hungary (HUSZAR)

Jordan, Belarus, UAE
France (UIISC1), France (UIISC7)
Romania, Ukraine, Morocco3838International Rescue Teamof Japanese Fire Service

This emblem means that we will rush to the disaster-stricken site
anywhere in the world and hold out a helping hand.

39