Fire Service System of Japan

October 2023
These materials were created by the International Fire Service Information Center based on the 2022
white paper on fire service and other FDMA data and in cooperation with the aforementioned agency.

Introduction
・The current Japanese fire service system was established by the Fire Defense
Organization Act of 1947 as a local government fire and disaster management system(fire department or volunteer fire corps) tied to the region, and to date has
accomplished a great deal bearing responsibility for “national safety and security” suchas fire prevention, fire fighting, ambulance, and rescue services.
・Additionally, the origin of this fire defense organization dates all the way back to the Edo
period to the Tokugawa Shogunate’s “Jobikeshi” firefighting system (approx. 1650) andthe “Machibikeshi” organized by artisans and merchants (approx. 1718) that came after.
・In Japan, through the steady hard work of fire officials, there has been a reduction inlarge scale fires over the decades. Even so, the harm caused by building fires, residential
fires, etc., has yet to be eliminated. From time to time a fire that causes significant harm
to human life and property breaks out.
・Also, the occurrence of various natural disasters such as earthquakes, downpours,
typhoons, and heavy snowfalls is a characteristic of Japan. In particular, in recent years,
similar to global trends, floods and landslides caused by record setting downpours andlarge scale typhoons, due to the influence of climate change, have brought about
serious harm.
・In order to respond to such fires, natural disasters, special disasters and accidents, andemergencies, related agencies starting with the FDMA of the national government, toprefectural disaster prevention departments, municipal fire departments, regional
volunteer fire corps, and resident volunteer organizations all come together to create
areas and a country where residents and citizens can live without fear.
2

Local Public Entities of Japan○ Population of Japan: 125,930,000 Area: 378,000 ㎢(Population as of Jan. 1, 2022 according to the basic resident register. Same below.)○ Japan’s local government system is a two layer system composed of prefectures andmunicipalities.
・Prefectures (wide area local governments)...47* the dotted lines on the below graphic (map of Japan)

The largest being Tokyo Prefecture (population 13,790,000),
the smallest being Tottori Prefecture (population 550,000)
・Municipalities (baseline local governments)... 1,718 (cities 792, towns 743,
villages 183)
The largest being Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture(population
3,760,000), the smallest being Aogashima Village in Tokyo (population 170)
*Central Tokyo is not a city, but established as 23 special wards○ The heads of and council members for the prefectures,municipalities, and special wards in Tokyo are decided
through public elections.

Ex: Iwate Prefecture has
33 municipalities
3

The History of Firefighting Law and Disasters
Regarding permanent firefighting(fire brigade formed)(enforcement)

Civil Defense Unit Order Enacted(civil defense unit formed,
fire brigade disbanded)

1939.4(enforcement)《Post-war》
1947.4

Volunteer Fire Corps
Regulations Announced(enforcement)(enforcement)

1948.8(enforcement)

1962.7(enforcement)

1964.4(enforcement)

1995.6
2004.9(enforcement)

2004.9(enforcement)2013.12(enforcement)

Major disasters

Fire Brigade Regulation Enacted《Pre-war》
1894.2

1948.3

Regarding volunteer firefighting corps

Fire Defense Organization Act
Enacted(volunteer fire corps formed, civil
defense unit disbanded)(firefighting services)

Fire Service Act Enacted(+ preventative services)

Disaster Countermeasures
Basic Act Enacted[placed in the Fire Defense
Organization Act in 1951](+ disaster management services)

Fire Service Act Amended(+ ambulance services)(national fire service team established) ← Triggered by the Great Hanshin
earthquake in January 1995
Fire Defense Organization Act

Amended(national fire-service team legalized)

Civil Protection Act Enacted(+ civil protection services)“Act on Enhancing and Strengthening
Regional Disaster Prevention Capabilities
Centered around Volunteer Fire Corps”
enacted（Number of dead, missing, etc.）
1959 Typhoon Vera
(5,098)
1964 Niigata earthquake(26)
1
1976 Great Sakata fire *(1)1983 Hotel New Japan fire(33)
1993 Okushiri earthquake(230)
1995 Great Hanshin earthquake(6,437)
1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack(12)2001 Myojo 56 building fire(44)
2004 Chūetsu earthquake(68)
2005 Amagasaki derailment(107)2007 Chūetsu offshore earthquake(15)
2008 Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku earthquake(23)
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami(22,252)
2016 Kumamoto earthquakes(273)
22016 Great Itoigawa fire *(0)2017 Northern Kyushu flood(42)
2018 2018 Japan floods(245)2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake(42)
2019 Typhoon Hagibis(107)
2020 2020 Kyushu floods(84)2021 Atami landslide(27)2021 Osaka building fire(25)

<burned area> *1：approx. 152,000m2 *2：approx. 30,000㎡

4Regarding the Fire Defense Organization Act
Fire Service Duties○ To safeguard the lives, physical well-being, and property of the people.
○ Protecting against and reducing the damage from disasters such as floods, fires, andearthquakes.
○ Transporting those sick or injured as a result of a disaster
Firefighting
Ambulance
Service

Fire services in Japan(principle activities)

RescueFire
Flood
Prevention
Prevention
Characteristics and structure of the fire service system○ Separate from the police○ Fire service principally based on local governments (cities, towns and villages)○ Cooperation between the national government and local governments (prefectures andmunicipalities)
5Ministries

Cabinet Secretariat
Cabinet Office

National Public Safety Commission
National Police Agency

Digital Agency
Reconstruction Agency
Ministry of Internal Affairs andCommunications

FDMA

Ministry of JusticeNational
Government
Organization

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Ministry of the Environment
Ministry of Defense

6Organization of the FDMA
Commissioner
Vice-Commissioner
Director-General of the Civil Protection
and Disaster Management Department
Assistant Commissioner

Disaster Management
Division

Creation of disaster prevention systems in local
public entities, etc.

General Affairs Division

Secretary, Human Resources, Accounting,PR, Policy evaluation, Awards, Planning,
General coordination, etc.

Civil Protection Office

Promotion of the formation of civil protectionplans, Guidance and consultation for local
public entities, etc.

Fire and Ambulance
Service Division

Firefighting Maintenance Policies,
Fire department integration, etc.

Civil Protection
Management Office

Development of alert and evacuation
preparedness, Promotion of anti-terrorism
measures, etc.

Ambulance Service
Planning OfficePlanning regarding EMTs and otheremergency services, etc.

Regional Disaster
Management OfficePlanning regarding volunteer fire corps andvoluntary disaster prevention groups, etc.

Fire Prevention Division

Fire protection equipment standards,
Promotion of residential fire prevention
measures, etc.

Mutual Aid
Management OfficePlanning, liaison, and coordination regarding
support for fire services, Planning and Operationof national fire-service teams, etc.

Hazardous Materials
Safety Office

Hazardous materials safety system
planning, etc.

Disaster Management
Communications Office

Collection and transmission of fire and disasterprevention information, Fire and disastercommunication system

Emergency Response OfficePlanning regarding the emergency response
system, etc.

Extraordinary Disaster
Management Office

Petrochemical complexes, Nuclear
disasters, Forest fire measures, etc.

Counselor

Human life rescue systeminternational
cooperation
firefighting, etc.

planning,
regarding(Institutions)Fire and Disaster
Management College

education and training of firefighting
leaders, etc.

National Research Instituteof Fire and Disaster

Research and development regarding
scientific firefighting technologies,
investigations regarding the cause offires and disasters, etc.

7

The Roles of National Government and Local Governments in Fire Service System
National government and local governments (prefectures and municipalities) both take on their own
share of responsibility for firefighting, while cooperating and coordinating in order to respond to large
scale fires and natural disasters.

National Gov.
(FDMA)
・Planning of firefighting systems, drafting of firefighting policies, supporting municipalities, etc.
・Supporting activities during large scale disasters that span a wide area covering multiple prefectures
・Education and training for the entire nation through the Fire and Disaster Management College

Local Gov.
Prefectures

・Possesses fire academies that offer firefighting
education and training
・Possesses and maintains fire and disasterprevention helicopters* Major cities possess and maintain their own helicopters andestablish their own fire academies.

Municipalities

・Establishes professional and volunteer firefighting
agencies and possesses actual fire squadrons
・Carries out every day fire services<Principally local fire services>--- Fire Defense Organization Act Article 6
On location fire, rescue, ambulance, fire and disaster prevention, etc.
activities
8

Japan’s Fire Service System
Along with the nation’s FDMA, in the local public entities, on the front lines of ascene, the municipal firefighting organizations (professional and volunteer) areresponsible for the every day fire services.
National Government
Local Governments(Prefectures)

FDMA

As of April 1, 2022

・Fire and disaster management expenditures for the prefectures totaled ¥166.2B for FY2021

Professional(full-time)
Departments
Local Governments(Municipalities)*Tokyo is organized according
to the Tokyo Fire Department○ No. of personnel (Fixed): 174○ Budget of FY2023 : ¥12.6B (General Account)○ Fire Depts.: 723○ Firefighters: 168,000
As of April 1, 2022

*The professional fire service system covers 99.9% of Japan’s total population

Volunteer(short-time)
Corps○ Volunteer Corps: 2,196○ Volunteer Firefighters: 784,000
As of April 1, 2022

・Fire service expenditures for the municipalities (including the Tokyo Fire Dept.)
totaled ¥2.04T for FY2021
9

Regarding Volunteer Fire Corps○ Japan’s fire services are carried out through the cooperation of the professional (full-time) fire
departments and the volunteer (part-time) fire corps established by local governments (municipalities).
○ All of the municipalities have volunteer fire corps, and the number of those is 2,196.
○ Based on the mentality of “protecting our own land ourselves” volunteer firefighters have otherlivelihoods while being part time local public employees with the authority and responsibility to carryout firefighting activities. There are approximately 784,000 volunteer firefighters.

Mayor(As of April 1, 2022)

723 depts.
Firefighters
Approx. 168,000

2,196 Corps
Professional
Departments(full time fire fighting organization)

cooperation

Volunteer Corps

Volunteers
Approx. 784,000(part time fire fighting organization)○ Volunteer fire corps, as their principal activities, carry out firefighting activities, rescue operations,disaster prevention activities, and resident evacuation measures during disasters, as well as fire
prevention awareness activities, firefighting and disaster prevention training, wellness checks on theelderly, and first aid instruction during normal periods.
10System for Protecting Safety and Security of Regions(complete image)

Firefighting
Organizations

Professional Fire Departments
Approx. 168,000 Firefighters
Of which are female
volunteers:

in local governments
Under the jurisdiction of
the fire chief andoperating in all areas intheir jurisdiction

Volunteer Fire Corps
Approx. 784,000 Volunteers

28,000Voluntarily respond todisasters in their own areas Voluntary Disaster Prevention Groups
Approx. 45,390,000 Members(as of April 1, 2022)

11

Resident Volunteer Disaster Prevention Activities○ In order to prevent disasters such as fires before they start and tominimize the damage caused by disasters such as earthquakes anddownpours it is extremely important for each citizen to be deeply awareof the important of fire and disaster prevention on a daily-basis, and to
make adequate disaster and fire prevention preparations in their area.
○ That's why, in addition to full time firefighting agencies, the expansion
and strengthening of voluntary disaster prevention groups, women’s fire
prevention clubs, and youth firefighting clubs is being promoted.
Class

Description

No. ofOrgs.

Approx. No. of
Personnel

Voluntary Disaster
Prevention Groups

Disaster prevention groups that work voluntarily as a unit ofneighborhood associations, etc. (organization activities
cover 84.7% of all households)

166,833

45,390,000

Women’s Fire
Prevention Clubs

Organizations that work to acquire knowledge about fire
prevention in the home and to raise fire prevention
awareness throughout the community.

6,966

1,050,000

Youth Firefighting
Clubs

Organizations comprised of boys and girls aged 10 to 18,
that teaches fire and disaster prevention in everyday life.

4,150

390,000

Children’s
Firefighting Club

Organizations comprised of children 9 and younger, thatteaches how to properly handle fires and about firefighting
jobs.

13,3081,050,000

Voluntary disaster prevention groups and women’s fire prevention clubs as of April 1, 2022; youth fire fighting clubs and children’s fire fighting
clubs as of May 1, 2022

12

Strengthening Regional Disaster Prevention During Normal Periods○ During normal periods, local governments (prefectures and municipalities) plan to strengthen
regional disaster management capabilities based on the basic disaster prevention plan of eachregion (local disaster management plan, etc.).
○ Simultaneously, nationally, the ministries plan to both strengthen disaster management
capabilities based on their plans (disaster management operation plan, etc.) and to provide
guidance and information, etc. to local governments regarding the matters under their purview.
(Ex: landslide disasters fall under the purview of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)○ The FDMA is offering guidance and information regarding the duties of local public entities
based on the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act.

FDMA

・Creation of prefectural local disaster management plan
・Guidance and information to local municipalities regarding
disaster prevention duties

Guidance Information

Municipalities
・Creation of a municipal local disaster management plan
・Creating standards for the issuance of evacuation orders,measures for residents who need evacuation assistance, etc.

Local Governments

Ministry of Y

Guidance Information

National
Agencies

・・・

Ministry of X

Prefectures<Duties of local governments based on the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act>・ Creation and revision of a local disaster management plan・ Creation of concrete standards for the issuance of an evacuation orders by the mayor
・ Measures to aid residents who need evacuation assistance (The elderly, those withdisabilities, etc.)
・ Fire service duties carried out by residents’ voluntary disaster prevention groups(voluntary disaster prevention groups)

13

Municipal Fire Services – Call and Dispatch
119 Call Received

Determining
Disaster
Location
Site Disaster Occurred

119 called

Fire Control Center

Steps of a 119 Call

Formation of adispatch teamDispatch Order
Firefighting
Activities

14

Municipal Fire Services - Firefighting Activities Number of fire incidents in 2021: 35,222
・Compared to 10 years ago (2011), the number of fire incidents (50,006) and deaths(1,766), the number of fire incidents was reduced to 70.4% (35,222) and the number ofdeaths to 80.2% (1,417).

15

Municipal Fire Services - Ambulance Services Number of ambulance service dispatches in 2021: 6,193,581
・Ambulance service activities have increased over the years. Compared to 10 years ago in 2011,
the number of ambulance service dispatches (5,707,655) and people transported (5,182,729),
increased by 8.5% to 6,193,581 dispatches and the number of people transported by 6.0% to
5,491,744 in 2021.
・The average time needed from a 119 call to arrival at on location was 9.4 minutes. An increaseof 1.2 minutes compared to 10 years ago.

Types of incidents serviced byambulance by number(6,193,518 )Number of patients serviced byambulance by severity of injury or illness(5,491,744)

16

Municipal Fire Services - Rescue Activities Number of rescue activity cases in 2021: 63,198
・The number of rescue activities for 6 since starting from 10 years has remained around 57,000
cases, but has recently exceeded 60,000 cases, and further increase to 63,198 cases in 2021.

Breakdown of Incident Type17

Municipal Fire Services - Fire Prevention ○ Various types of regulations according to building usage
Common fire prevention properties such as department stores, hotels,
office buildings, etc.
Residences (mainly detached houses)
Facilities handling hazardous materials such as gasoline tanks and petroleum tanks
Facilities handling explosives such as gunpowder, or pressurized gases such as liquefied
petroleum gas
Regulations based on the Fire Service Act pertaining tocommon fire prevention properties

Tangible Measures○ Fire Extinguishers○ Automatic Sprinkler System○ Fire Alarm System○ Emergency Exit Lights○ Escape Equipment etc.

Intangible Measures○ Appointment of a fire prevention manager○ Creation of a fire action plan
○ Composition of an In-house firefighting team
○ Inspection of the status of fire prevention
management and fire protection equipment○ Practicing firefighting and evacuation drills
18Overview of the Fire Prevention Administration System
Securing fire safety from both fire protection equipment and fire prevention management aspects[Fire prevention properties]: forests, vessels or vehicles, ships moored at a dock or pier, buildings or other structures or properties
belonging thereto.

EX: Buildings or other structures
Places where a number of people may
access, work or reside, etc.

Residence
DetachedHouse○ installation andmaintenance ofresidential fire
alarms[stipulated by law+ ordinance]

Apartment
House

Rights of municipal fire services
・ on-site inspections, issuance oforders (forbidding use, etc.)
・ ensuring legal compliance throughpenalties

EX: Hotels, hospitals, welfare facilities, schools, factories, underground malls, etc.

○ fire prevention management / supervisory fire prevention management
・ Appointment of a fire prevention manager, creation and reporting of a fire action plan, practice fire
drills (+ periodic inspection system)・ (In case that there are multiple fire prevention managers) appointment of a supervisor of fire
prevention managers, creation of a fire action plan for whole building, etc.

○ Measures for disaster prevention management (for large scale buildings only)○ Installation and maintenance of fire protection equipment (the latest regulations retrospectively apply to
specific existing facilities such as hotels, welfare facilities, hospitals, etc.)
・fire protection equipment: automatic sprinkler systems, indoor fire hydrants, gaseous fire extinguishingequipment, etc.
・Alarm systems: automatic fire alarm systems, fire alarm systems that notify municipal fire services, etc.
・Escape equipment: Emergency exit lights and signs, escape equipment○ Flame retardance regulations: use of flame retardant goods for carpets, curtains, etc.

○ Regulations regarding equipment and tools that utilize fire: the structure, installation locations, etc. of stoves, boilers, etc.
[stipulated by law + ordinance]*In addition to these above, the regulations also provide for fire prevention management for outdoor events (guide regulations for municipal ordinances), standards for the handling of
hazardous materials such as gasoline, etc.(Chap. 3 of the Fire Service Act), and other things.

19

History of Fire Prevention Administration and concerning Fire Incidents
Major Disasters
1948

Enactment of Fire
Service Act

Fire Prevention Management
Setup of fire protection manager

Fire Protection Equipment
Equipment standards(municipal ordinances)

1958 Tokyo Takarazuka Theater fire

Establishment of fire prevention
manager system
1966 Kikufuji Hotel fire

(obligation to appoint a fire prevention manager with
the necessary knowledge and experience)

Establishment of the joint fire prevention
management system
1972 Sennichi Department Store fire(provides high-rise buildings and underground mallswith a joint fire prevention system)

1973 Taiyo Department Store fire1980 Kawaji Prince Hotel Fire

1982 Hotel New Japan fire2001 Myojo 56 building fire
Increase in the number of deaths due toresidential fires
2004 Chuetsu earthquake
2006 Nagasaki Prefecture group home* fire(* welfare facility for seniors suffering fromdementia)

2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami
2013 Nagasaki Prefecture group home* fire(* welfare facility for seniors suffering fromdementia), Fukuoka City clinic fire

* items surrounded by dotted lines since abolished

Introduction of the Fire Safety
Certification Mark System

Establishment of technical standards forfire protection equipment

Retrospective application of the latest
technical standards for existing buildings,
such as hotels, hospitals, department
stores, etc.

(posted at fire-code compliant hotels and inns)

Establishment of the periodic
inspection and reporting system(inspections on fire prevention management forbuildings accommodating a number of people)

Establishment of disasterprevention manager system(provides large scale buildings with adisaster prevention management system forlarge earthquakes)

Establishment of supervisory fire and disasterprevention manager system(strengthens the fire prevention capability of high-risebuildings and underground malls)

Based on thelessons learned
from major fireincidents,
installation
standards on fire
protection
equipment (such as
automatic sprinkler
systems, fire alarmsystems etc.) havebeen strengthened.

Installation offire alarms inresidences
becamemandatory forfire prevention20

Wide Area Firefighting and Disaster Relief Support Systemand the National Fire-Service TeamIn the case of typical fires, accidents, and disasters○ Responded to by the municipality
for a call for services
No. of fire depts. nationwide: 723
No. of firefighters nationwide: 168K
No. of volunteer firefightersnationwide:
784K(as of April 1, 2022)

In the case of massive scale fires, accidents, and disasters
National Fire-Service Team (6,606 teams and 25,476 individuals registered as of April 2022)
Provides a national firefighting support system that effectively and rapidly saves lives inthe event of a large scale or special disaster[Details regarding formation]• Founded in 1995 in response to the lessons learned from Great Hanshin earthquake• Through an amendment to the Fire Defense Organization Act in June 2000, theNational Fire Service Team was clearly placed into law, and it became possible todispatch the team at the commissioner of the FDMA’s command

Governor of affected prefecture
requests help
Commissioner of the FDMA’s
approval or command

In the case of a localized
disaster: neighboring
prefectures are dispatched

Dispatch of
the National Fire-Service TeamIn the case of large scale fires, accidents, and disasters○ Firefighting support is sent fromneighboring municipalities (including thoseoutside the prefecture) and municipalities
in the prefecture based on mutual
firefighting aid agreements
Presently, all prefectures in Japan havereached mutual firefighting aid agreements
including all municipalities and municipal
administrative associations.

(Depending on the level of damage, the prefectures
to be dispatched may be expanded.)In the case of a Tokai earthquake:the entire nation is dispatched○ In the approximately 26 years since their launch, they have been deployed
43 times○ Breakdown: Earthquakes x18, storms and floods/landslides x16, storagetank/factory fires x4, volcanic eruptions x3, avalanches x1, train accidents x1

21

Deployment of Japan Disaster Relief TeamThe international rescue team* formed from the FDMA and fire departments, is a member of the rescue team under the“Act on the Dispatch of the Japan Disaster Relief Team” and is dispatched during large scale disasters, based on that law,
in response to a request from the government of a country affected by said disaster, contributing to international
emergency relieves. To date, it has been dispatched to foreign disasters 22 times.
*The International Rescue Team（International Rescue Team of Japanese Fire-Service：Abbreviated “IRT-JF”: and affectionately known as“Ai aru te” (愛ある手/The loving hand)- Search and rescue operations in Kahramanmaraş; earthquake in Turkey (February 2022)(Courtesy of JICA)

Rescue TeamInternational
Emergency Relief

Human Aid
[Japan Disaster
Relief Team]
Material Aid

FDMA / Fire department (IRT)
National Police Agency / Prefectural Police depts.
Japan Coast Guard
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)

Supporting search and rescue operations in Hualien County;
Eastern Taiwan earthquake (February 2018 Dispatch)(Courtesy of JICA)

Medical Assistance Team
Infection Control Team

Financial Aid
Specialist Team
JSDF

Search and rescue activities in Tlalpan; Mexico earthquake(September 2017 Dispatch) (Courtesy of JICA )22

Education and Training and Technical Support at the Fire and Disaster Management College
The Fire and Disaster Management College provides high level education and training necessary for cadres to personnel involved
with national or prefectural fire service duties and to municipal professional and volunteer firefighters and provides the necessary
technical support regarding education and training to prefectural fire academies
1. High Level Education and Training○High level education and training utilizing a variety of facilities
・ Increased efficiency and sophistication of education and training utilizing ICT such as e-learning, remoteclasses, and the large scale disaster training system.
・ Training for responding NBC disasters, large numbers of sick and injured, etc.
・ Born from concern regarding recent deaths in the line of duty, safety management education has beenenhanced utilizing real firefighting experience training facilities○ Formation of a social network of fire department leadership staff nationwide
・ Forms a nationwide social network by requiring students to live at the dorms for up to two months foreach dept/course
・ The network of graduates contributes to the smooth coordination of firefighting activities during large
scale disasters*Graduates: 68,020 total (1948 - 2022)

Disaster response drills
using the large scaledisaster training system

NBC disaster
Response drill

Large number of
Injured response drill

Real firefighting
Experience
Training facilities

1. Comprehensive Courses (4 Depts.)

2. Specialized Courses (8 Depts.)○ Executive Course○ Top-Level Executive Course○ Newly-Appointed Fire Chiefs and Fire
Academy Principals Course○ Volunteer Fire Brigade Leader Course○ Fire Suppression Course○ Rescue Course○ Emergency Medical Services Course○ Prevention Course ○ Hazardous Materials Course○ Fire Investigation Course○ Newly-Appointed Local Instructors Course○ Local Instructors Course■Overview of the Fire andDisaster Management College◇Address
4-35-3 Jindaiji Higashimachi,
Chofu City, Tokyo◇Main Campus
・Main Building
・Main Building 2・2 Dorms(Total dorm rooms: 224)
・Training Tower(Height 33m [108ft])
・Indoor fire prevention area
・Outdoor training area

Hazardous material
fire response drill

3. Practical Courses○ Emergency Fire Response Team (National Fire-Service
Team ) Education Course (4 courses)○ Risk Management / Disaster Preparedness Education
Course (3 courses)○ Gender Empowerment Course○ Fire Inspection Management Course

2. Technical Support for Fire Academies
In response to the diversification and scale of natural disasters, fires, and accidents, etc., there is a need to enhance andstrengthen the education and training at prefectural fire academies. In addition to the above education and training courses
for fire academy principals and instructors, the college now performs lends instructors to academies, edits firefighting
textbooks, and more.

23

Professional Firefighter’s Lifecycle, Education and Training
Relation of Professional Firefighter’s Lifecycle, Education and Training (example)[Fire and Disaster Management College]

Division Chief

Suppression Division Chief
Prevention Division Chief
Main Division Chief

Battalion Chief

Intermediate-Level
Executive Course(49 hours)

Lower-Level

Subsection Chief

CaptainSenior Staff

Lieutenant
Pump Team Member
Engineer Member
Ambulance Team Member
Rescue Team Member

Senior Firefighter
Firefighter

Newly-Appointed Fire Chiefs and Fire
Academy Principals Course(9 days)

Top-Level Executive
Course(21 hours)

Executive Course(70 hours)
Fire Suppression
CourseSpecial Disaster Course
Preventative
Investigations Course
Hazardous Materials
CourseFire Investigation
CourseEmergency Medical
Services Course
Rescue Course

Top-Level Executive Course(13 days)

Executive Course(33 days)

Fire Chief
Station Chief

Fire Suppression Course (35 days)
Rescue Course (35 days)
Emergency Medical Services
Course(26 days)ii

Prevention Course (35 days)
Hazardous Materials Course(22 days)
Fire Investigation Course (35 days)
Newly-Appointed Local Instructors
Course (9 days)
Local Instructors Course (10 days)

Technical Support
Initial Education 800 hours[Each Prefecture’s Fire Academies]
24