FY 2020 Okayama Prefecture Bichu Resident Bureau Proposal-based Collaboration ProjectRiver water level information
Risk Management Water Gauge

V o l. 1

It is dangerous to actually go to see a river for yourself.
Remotely check the water level with a live camera or on a website that shows
the water level.

NHK news disaster preparedness app
iPhoneAndroidThis app provides a lot of useful information including
news, weather, disaster information, and rain clouddata map and is very helpful for everyday life as well.

Google Maps
Google Maps not only provides a GPS function, but also information
on traffic jams and road closures. Use Google Maps to check yourevacuation route. (Internet search is also supported.)

iPhoneAndroid

Facebook

Inquiries

Please support the Kawabe Reconstruction Project ARUKU

Our activities depend on your donations and subsidies. Please support us so that residents in the Kawabe
area and Mabi town can recover from the disaster and lead a secure life and so that we can continue tocreating opportunities for everyone across Japan to think about disaster preparedness.

Account for donations: Bank Name: Kibi Shinkin Bank Branch Name: Kawabe Branch
Account No.: 0159563
Account Type: Saving
Account Holder: カワベフッコウプロジェクト ダイヒョウ マキハラ サトミ(Kawabe Fukkou Project ARUKU Daihyo MAKIHARA Satomi)

Please let us know your opinions
on the Disaster Preparedness
Guide for Parents and Kids.
11

Photos and experiences Parents in the Kawabe area and Mabi town
Photographer
Tomoe Obu (Harenohi Photo Studio)Book design
Tomomi Itaya (Drops)
Created in October 2020 / Partially amended in February 2022

Supervising editor: Chikako Isouchi, Associate Professor, Kagawa University,
Created by: Kawabe Reconstruction Project ARUKU

P.2

Message to parents

P.3

What happened at that time ... flood experiences\ Hold a family meeting to prepare for disaster. /

P.5

P.7

P.9

Step 1.

Decide where to evacuate.
Step 2.

Decide when to evacuate.
Step 3.

Prepare what you will takewith you.

P.11 Websites and apps recommended to get disaster
preparedness information

1

The West Japan Flood and Rain Disaster hit us in July 2018. We
had never imagined that our hometown would be flooded byheavy rains.
In the Kawabe area of Mabi Town in Kurashiki City, Okayama
Prefecture, more than 99% of homes were flooded to somedegree. Muddy water came waist-high on the second floor in theworst cases. In addition, no evacuation shelters were available
because the entire area was almost completely flooded. As water
approached, some people stayed at home and waited upstairs
for rescue whereas others were at a loss about where toevacuate. Afterward, some recall life in an evacuation shelterwith their children or cleaning up in the aftermath of the flood.
Each family has a story that we can learn a lot from.
A flood is the only natural disaster for which we can prepare inadvance to evacuate. If a flood occurs, the smartest thing to do isevacuate.
This Disaster Preparedness Guide for Parents and Kids is createdbased on questionnaires answered by parents in Mabi Town who
experienced the flood.
We hope that our message would
motivate you to consider timely
evacuation. We also hope that this guide
will help you to protect your life and thelives of your family in an emergency.

Satomi Makihara, President
West Japan Heavy Rain Victim Group

Kawabe Reconstruction Project ARUKU
2

P.2

Message to parents

P.3

What happened at that time ... flood experiences\ Hold a family meeting to prepare for disaster. /

P.5

P.7

P.9

Step 1.

Decide where to evacuate.
Step 2.

Decide when to evacuate.
Step 3.

Prepare what you will takewith you.

P.11 Websites and apps recommended to get disaster
preparedness information

1

The West Japan Flood and Rain Disaster hit us in July 2018. We
had never imagined that our hometown would be flooded byheavy rains.
In the Kawabe area of Mabi Town in Kurashiki City, Okayama
Prefecture, more than 99% of homes were flooded to somedegree. Muddy water came waist-high on the second floor in theworst cases. In addition, no evacuation shelters were available
because the entire area was almost completely flooded. As water
approached, some people stayed at home and waited upstairs
for rescue whereas others were at a loss about where toevacuate. Afterward, some recall life in an evacuation shelterwith their children or cleaning up in the aftermath of the flood.
Each family has a story that we can learn a lot from.
A flood is the only natural disaster for which we can prepare inadvance to evacuate. If a flood occurs, the smartest thing to do isevacuate.
This Disaster Preparedness Guide for Parents and Kids is createdbased on questionnaires answered by parents in Mabi Town who
experienced the flood.
We hope that our message would
motivate you to consider timely
evacuation. We also hope that this guide
will help you to protect your life and thelives of your family in an emergency.

Satomi Makihara, President
West Japan Heavy Rain Victim Group

Kawabe Reconstruction Project ARUKU
2 We got sent to three evacuation shelters. It was mentally and physically exhausting.
My husband is a local resident and knows the history of floods in the area. He said “Don’t
worry. No need to evacuate,” so I didn’t worry. Then, I received messages from my mom
friends: “We are going to evacuate.” “We have evacuated!” “The evacuation shelter isfull.” We then heard an explosion from the aluminum factory in the neighboring City ofSoja. So, filled with anxiety, we evacuated to a high place in the area instead of thedesignated evacuation shelter around one in the morning. We spent a sleepless night inour car on public grounds.
The following morning, we first moved to an elementary school in Soja City. They opened
the library and provided a simple bathtub. Although we were relieved for a brief moment,
we had to move again because the school was going to open the following day. The next
place was a gymnasium also in Soja City. Because the gymnasium was not equipped with
air conditioning, some people had a heat stroke. So, we moved once again according to
the policy to prioritize kids and the elderly. The last place was a community center, again
in Soja City. Although we were preferentially given the same room because we moved withother two families, we sent our kids to my parents’ home outside Okayama Prefecture.
We had to go there and back to clean our house, go to the public bath, the laundromat,
and the community center until we moved into the city’s temporary housing about
three weeks later.

Parents and kids (a two-year old, a four-year old (or a five-year old), and a first grader) We could not see eye to eye with our parents-in-law living with us and got a latestart evacuating. That caused us to have a hard time.
On that day, I was with my three kids and parents-in-law living with us at home. I felt
nervous on the inside as the rain did not stop even after sunset. Feeling increasingly
anxious in the evening, I decided to evacuate and started making preparations. When I
told my in-laws, their response was not what I expected. They said that it was notnecessary and so they wouldn’t. My kids and I asked them to evacuate with us over andover but they would not prepare. I did not know what to do and called my husband to
ask for help saying, “We can’t just leave them here. Please come back as soon as
possible and persuade them.” In the end, my husband, who came home late in theevening, persuaded them and we finally started to evacuate together.
Because we started to evacuate late, the road to the evacuation shelter was
crowded and the evacuation shelter was packed. We had difficulty just finding spacefor us to sit. This experience drove home to me how important it is for all family
members to agree on when to start preparing to evacuate and when to startevacuating in order to evacuate well in advance.
Parents, kids (a five-year old (or a six-year old), a fourth grader, and a sixth grader), and parents-in-law

 I would have regretted if we had ignored my daughter’s “I’m scared.”That day I felt unusual with all the loud alert messages from my smartphone, disaster
alerts broadcast outside, and the pouring rain. As we did not have transportation toevacuate until my husband came home from work, my daughter and I were nervously
waiting for him.
When he came home, I was relieved. We could finally evacuate! But he just said “There’s
nothing to worry about” and that he would not evacuate. Although at first I was persuaded
by his words, my daughter was so scared and insisted on evacuating. At last, hereluctantly agreed.
It was in the middle of the night. Water overflowed from drainage ditches and the border
between the ditch and the road was not visible. On top of that, the road to the evacuation
shelter was gridlocked. As the car was not able to move further, I was worried thinking thatthe car might be swept away if the river floods now and wondering what we should do if mydaughter has to go to the bathroom. Although we could not reach the evacuation shelter,
we managed to sleep in our car at a high place with restrooms in the area and all of us
were safe.
I realized that it is necessary to evacuate when even one of your family members wants
to do so.
Parents and a five-year old (or a six-year old)

 It is important to take evacuation into account if you decide to have pets.

Our family did not evacuate that day. We had two kittens but did not have a pet carrier
bag to take them to the evacuation shelter.
I was anxious and couldn’t sleep. When I woke up around five in the morning on July 7, thetoilet wouldn’t flush. “That’s odd,” I thought. Then, the roads around our house started toflood. Thinking we need to evacuate after all, we went to our car, but before we
realized it, the muddy water suddenly came and reached as high as the chest of ourson, a second grader. My husband held our crying son and we hurried back inside.
Although we went upstairs, the rapidly rising water reached 60 cm above the upstairs
floor. Having no idea how high the water was going to go, I was scared to death. We
thought we would have to swim and had our kids wear life jackets, but we were eventually
rescued and we all survived, including our cats.
Not evacuating early enough caused us to put our kids through a traumatic experienceand we increased the burden on the rescuers. It is absolutely important to evacuate early.
If you have pets, you should prepare for their evacuation as well.
Parents and kids (a second grader, a fourth grader, and a sixth grader) and two cats

\ Hold a family meeting to prepare for disaster. /34 We got sent to three evacuation shelters. It was mentally and physically exhausting.
My husband is a local resident and knows the history of floods in the area. He said “Don’t
worry. No need to evacuate,” so I didn’t worry. Then, I received messages from my mom
friends: “We are going to evacuate.” “We have evacuated!” “The evacuation shelter isfull.” We then heard an explosion from the aluminum factory in the neighboring City ofSoja. So, filled with anxiety, we evacuated to a high place in the area instead of thedesignated evacuation shelter around one in the morning. We spent a sleepless night inour car on public grounds.
The following morning, we first moved to an elementary school in Soja City. They opened
the library and provided a simple bathtub. Although we were relieved for a brief moment,
we had to move again because the school was going to open the following day. The next
place was a gymnasium also in Soja City. Because the gymnasium was not equipped with
air conditioning, some people had a heat stroke. So, we moved once again according to
the policy to prioritize kids and the elderly. The last place was a community center, again
in Soja City. Although we were preferentially given the same room because we moved withother two families, we sent our kids to my parents’ home outside Okayama Prefecture.
We had to go there and back to clean our house, go to the public bath, the laundromat,
and the community center until we moved into the city’s temporary housing about
three weeks later.

Parents and kids (a two-year old, a four-year old (or a five-year old), and a first grader) We could not see eye to eye with our parents-in-law living with us and got a latestart evacuating. That caused us to have a hard time.
On that day, I was with my three kids and parents-in-law living with us at home. I felt
nervous on the inside as the rain did not stop even after sunset. Feeling increasingly
anxious in the evening, I decided to evacuate and started making preparations. When I
told my in-laws, their response was not what I expected. They said that it was notnecessary and so they wouldn’t. My kids and I asked them to evacuate with us over andover but they would not prepare. I did not know what to do and called my husband to
ask for help saying, “We can’t just leave them here. Please come back as soon as
possible and persuade them.” In the end, my husband, who came home late in theevening, persuaded them and we finally started to evacuate together.
Because we started to evacuate late, the road to the evacuation shelter was
crowded and the evacuation shelter was packed. We had difficulty just finding spacefor us to sit. This experience drove home to me how important it is for all family
members to agree on when to start preparing to evacuate and when to startevacuating in order to evacuate well in advance.
Parents, kids (a five-year old (or a six-year old), a fourth grader, and a sixth grader), and parents-in-law

 I would have regretted if we had ignored my daughter’s “I’m scared.”That day I felt unusual with all the loud alert messages from my smartphone, disaster
alerts broadcast outside, and the pouring rain. As we did not have transportation toevacuate until my husband came home from work, my daughter and I were nervously
waiting for him.
When he came home, I was relieved. We could finally evacuate! But he just said “There’s
nothing to worry about” and that he would not evacuate. Although at first I was persuaded
by his words, my daughter was so scared and insisted on evacuating. At last, hereluctantly agreed.
It was in the middle of the night. Water overflowed from drainage ditches and the border
between the ditch and the road was not visible. On top of that, the road to the evacuation
shelter was gridlocked. As the car was not able to move further, I was worried thinking thatthe car might be swept away if the river floods now and wondering what we should do if mydaughter has to go to the bathroom. Although we could not reach the evacuation shelter,
we managed to sleep in our car at a high place with restrooms in the area and all of us
were safe.
I realized that it is necessary to evacuate when even one of your family members wants
to do so.
Parents and a five-year old (or a six-year old)

 It is important to take evacuation into account if you decide to have pets.

Our family did not evacuate that day. We had two kittens but did not have a pet carrier
bag to take them to the evacuation shelter.
I was anxious and couldn’t sleep. When I woke up around five in the morning on July 7, thetoilet wouldn’t flush. “That’s odd,” I thought. Then, the roads around our house started toflood. Thinking we need to evacuate after all, we went to our car, but before we
realized it, the muddy water suddenly came and reached as high as the chest of ourson, a second grader. My husband held our crying son and we hurried back inside.
Although we went upstairs, the rapidly rising water reached 60 cm above the upstairs
floor. Having no idea how high the water was going to go, I was scared to death. We
thought we would have to swim and had our kids wear life jackets, but we were eventually
rescued and we all survived, including our cats.
Not evacuating early enough caused us to put our kids through a traumatic experienceand we increased the burden on the rescuers. It is absolutely important to evacuate early.
If you have pets, you should prepare for their evacuation as well.
Parents and kids (a second grader, a fourth grader, and a sixth grader) and two cats

\ Hold a family meeting to prepare for disaster. /34

Where\ Hold a family meeting to prepare for disaster. /1. Decide where to evacuate.
Public evacuation shelters could be full.
Where is the best place for you to evacuate to avoid danger?

Tips• Think of about three candidate evacuation places.
Change where you will evacuate according to conditions (such as road disconnection).
Will you evacuate by car or on foot?

• If your home is in a flood area, evacuate from that area.
Nobody should experience the fear of water gradually entering your home.
Check a hazard map. You’ll feel more anxious if you are isolated.

• You’ll feel more comfortable if you know the place.
You’ll be more reluctant to evacuate if you do not know the place.
You’ll be even more at ease if you visit the place in advance.

Where exactly should you evacuate!?
Once you decide where to evacuate, it is easier to decide the timing forevacuation and prepare emergency goods.

Tips

Create a list of where to evacuate.
 A friend or relative’s house Outdoors (such as a tent or car)• Public evacuation shelters (designated evacuation shelters [SHITEIHINANSHO] and emergency evacuation sites [KINKYU HINANBASHO])
Check a hazard map and evacuate without hesitation if your home is in a dangerous
place.
5

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (

)

Name

 Evacuation shelter(such as a school)

Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (

)

Name

 Comfortable evacuation(such as a hotel)

Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (

)

Name

 Evacuation in case parents
are away

Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (

)

Name

Name

Consider places outside your home area. (Robust buildings are good candidates.)
Precautions against hot and cold weather shortage are also important if you sleep inyour car.

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Name

• Somewhere you can stay casually (such as friend or relative’s house)• High places close to your home (Also check if there are restrooms.)

Address

Name

Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (

)

)

)

\ Now, decide when to evacuate. /6

Where\ Hold a family meeting to prepare for disaster. /1. Decide where to evacuate.
Public evacuation shelters could be full.
Where is the best place for you to evacuate to avoid danger?

Tips• Think of about three candidate evacuation places.
Change where you will evacuate according to conditions (such as road disconnection).
Will you evacuate by car or on foot?

• If your home is in a flood area, evacuate from that area.
Nobody should experience the fear of water gradually entering your home.
Check a hazard map. You’ll feel more anxious if you are isolated.

• You’ll feel more comfortable if you know the place.
You’ll be more reluctant to evacuate if you do not know the place.
You’ll be even more at ease if you visit the place in advance.

Where exactly should you evacuate!?
Once you decide where to evacuate, it is easier to decide the timing forevacuation and prepare emergency goods.

Tips

Create a list of where to evacuate.
 A friend or relative’s house Outdoors (such as a tent or car)• Public evacuation shelters (designated evacuation shelters [SHITEIHINANSHO] and emergency evacuation sites [KINKYU HINANBASHO])
Check a hazard map and evacuate without hesitation if your home is in a dangerous
place.
5

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (

)

Name

 Evacuation shelter(such as a school)

Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (

)

Name

 Comfortable evacuation(such as a hotel)

Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (

)

Name

 Evacuation in case parents
are away

Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (

)

Name

Name

Consider places outside your home area. (Robust buildings are good candidates.)
Precautions against hot and cold weather shortage are also important if you sleep inyour car.

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Name

• Somewhere you can stay casually (such as friend or relative’s house)• High places close to your home (Also check if there are restrooms.)

Address

Name

Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (Address

Notes, what to bring, etc.

Phone number

Travel time(
) minutes by (

)

)

)

\ Now, decide when to evacuate. /
6

When

\ Hold a family meeting to prepare for disaster. /2. Decide when to evacuate.

High

Alert level[KEIKAI LEVEL GO]

Occurrence ofdisasteror imminent risk

Tips

Ensure emergency
safety*1

At alert level 5, safe
evacuation is already
impossible and your life is at
risk.
Do not wait until alert level 5
is issued.

Fatal risk. Immediately
ensure safety.

Be sure to evacuate at alert level 4(evacuation instruction) or lower!

• What does early evacuation mean?
The meaning depends on each family andwhere you will evacuate.

Alert level[KEIKAI LEVEL YON]

Evacuating at night is dangerous. You should evacuate before it gets dark.

4

High
disasterrisk• What is the alert level? The alert level serves as a rough indicationof where to evacuate.

Risk

If you have kids, who need help evacuating, evacuate at alert level 3 [KEIKAI LEVEL
SAN].
Clearly decide when to start evacuating, an evacuation route, and where to evacuate
in different scenarios, such as when a disaster occurs when kids and the elderly areat home alone. Remember that everybody must evacuate at alert level 4 [KEIKAILEVEL YON].

5

Alert level[KEIKAI LEVEL SAN]

• Immediately evacuate if your kids are scared.

3

Disasterrisk

There is nothing more assuring for family members than to be together.
It is important to determine family rules in advance in case someone strays away oran emergency occurs.

Alert
level

• Encourage each other to evacuate.
After all, the people around you are the ones that help you when you’re in need.
Deepen communication with family members, friends, and neighbors at ordinary times.

2

Weather conditions
have deteriorated

Alert
level

Write down your rules. When will your family evacuate?

Low

1

Weather conditions
may deteriorate

Order to *2
evacuate[HINAN SHIJI]

Make sure thateverybody evacuatesfrom places in danger.

Everybodymust evacuatefrom places in danger.

The elderly andthose who need help
should evacuate.*3[KOREISHA TO HINAN]

The elderly and those whoneed help should evacuatefrom places in danger.

Those who need time toevacuate should evacuatefrom places in danger.
The elderly

The physicallychallenged

Those with children,
especially infants

Expectingmothersetc.

Heavy rain, flood, or high tide watch(Japan Meteorological Agency)
Go over how you will evacuate.
Early watch information(Japan Meteorological Agency)
Be ready for disaster.

* 1 Alert level 5 may not be issued because, for example, municipalities cannot always grasp the situation of adisaster.
* 2 The order to evacuate is issued in the case where a call to evacuate would be issued in the past.
* 3 At alert level 3, people other than the elderly and those who need help should also start diverging from their
daily routine, prepare for evacuation, or voluntarily evacuate if they sense danger.
Source: Cabinet Office (Disaster Management) and Fire and Disaster Management Agency\ Now, let’s think about what to take with you! /
7

8

When

\ Hold a family meeting to prepare for disaster. /2. Decide when to evacuate.

High

Alert level[KEIKAI LEVEL GO]

Occurrence ofdisasteror imminent risk

Tips

Ensure emergency
safety*1

At alert level 5, safe
evacuation is already
impossible and your life is at
risk.
Do not wait until alert level 5
is issued.

Fatal risk. Immediately
ensure safety.

Be sure to evacuate at alert level 4(evacuation instruction) or lower!

• What does early evacuation mean?
The meaning depends on each family andwhere you will evacuate.

Alert level[KEIKAI LEVEL YON]

Evacuating at night is dangerous. You should evacuate before it gets dark.

4

High
disasterrisk• What is the alert level? The alert level serves as a rough indicationof where to evacuate.

Risk

If you have kids, who need help evacuating, evacuate at alert level 3 [KEIKAI LEVEL
SAN].
Clearly decide when to start evacuating, an evacuation route, and where to evacuate
in different scenarios, such as when a disaster occurs when kids and the elderly areat home alone. Remember that everybody must evacuate at alert level 4 [KEIKAILEVEL YON].

5

Alert level[KEIKAI LEVEL SAN]

• Immediately evacuate if your kids are scared.

3

Disasterrisk

There is nothing more assuring for family members than to be together.
It is important to determine family rules in advance in case someone strays away oran emergency occurs.

Alert
level

• Encourage each other to evacuate.
After all, the people around you are the ones that help you when you’re in need.
Deepen communication with family members, friends, and neighbors at ordinary times.

2

Weather conditions
have deteriorated

Alert
level

Write down your rules. When will your family evacuate?

Low

1

Weather conditions
may deteriorate

Order to *2
evacuate[HINAN SHIJI]

Make sure thateverybody evacuatesfrom places in danger.

Everybodymust evacuatefrom places in danger.

The elderly andthose who need help
should evacuate.*3[KOREISHA TO HINAN]

The elderly and those whoneed help should evacuatefrom places in danger.

Those who need time toevacuate should evacuatefrom places in danger.
The elderly

The physicallychallenged

Those with children,
especially infants

Expectingmothersetc.

Heavy rain, flood, or high tide watch(Japan Meteorological Agency)
Go over how you will evacuate.
Early watch information(Japan Meteorological Agency)
Be ready for disaster.

* 1 Alert level 5 may not be issued because, for example, municipalities cannot always grasp the situation of adisaster.
* 2 The order to evacuate is issued in the case where a call to evacuate would be issued in the past.
* 3 At alert level 3, people other than the elderly and those who need help should also start diverging from their
daily routine, prepare for evacuation, or voluntarily evacuate if they sense danger.
Source: Cabinet Office (Disaster Management) and Fire and Disaster Management Agency\ Now, let’s think about what to take with you! /
7

8

What

\ Hold a family meeting to prepare for disaster. /otect your m
em
\ Pr
en
t

For kids

We were able to eat ourfavorite snacks even when we
did not have an appetite.

 Favorite snacks and juices

Our favorite toys werea big comfort in an unfamiliar
environment.

 Toys (such as games, stuffed animals,
and picture books)
 Medicines (prescribed medicines such as
fever reducers or asthma drugs)* Carefully prepare food and medicines ifyour kids have allergies.

 Emergency power supply

I can feel at easeby taking the medicinesprescribed by my family
doctor if I get sick.

Evacuating in the rain iscolder than you’d think.
A bath towel or blanket is really useful.
You can use it as covers, lay on it,
or use it as a screen.

Ask your kids what they have that is important to them.
Kids may value something adults do not expect. Prepare what you will take with you
with your kids.
An emergency power supply isconvenient when you sleep in yourcar or in case of power failure.
You can use it for simple air
conditioning, smartphone charging,lighting or other purposes.

 Bath towel or blanket

 Portable toilet and toilet paper Wet wipes

To prevent crimes or ask
for help in an emergency
 Crime prevention buzzer or whistle
Women and children should always carry a crime
prevention buzzer or whistle during evacuation and in
the evacuation shelter to call for help in an emergency.

9

Write down what you will take with you.
 Wallet (cash) Cell phone or smartphone and charger

 Familiar foods (baby food and milk) and beverages  Lighting (such as a solar-powered
lantern)
 Pop-up tent

If you experience a disaster, memories help support you mentally.
Keep maternal and child health handbooks and mementos (such as umbilicalcords, letters, drawings, report cards, awards, and photos) in as high a place aspossible (such as on the 2nd floor).

Tips

Convenient items
 Mobile battery./os

3. Prepare what you will take with you.

You need your smartphone orcell phone for information
gathering and communication
during evacuation.
Prepare a battery as well sothat you can use your phone
at any time.

Keep your gas tank full.
After a disaster, you may get caught intraffic jams at many places or the gas
station may be crowded when you
want to fuel your car. In addition, you
may need air conditioning if you haveto sleep in your car.

 Clothes and underwear

 Toothbrush sets (oral care items) Facemasks and antiseptic Feminine hygiene products and diapers

 Medicines (all medicines you use daily) and glasses

Passbooks, seals,
 and insurance cards

These facilitateprocedures.

Prepare incase your smartphone
becomes unusable.

 Emergency contact information




10

What

\ Hold a family meeting to prepare for disaster. /otect your m
em
\ Pr
en
t

For kids

We were able to eat ourfavorite snacks even when we
did not have an appetite.

 Favorite snacks and juices

Our favorite toys werea big comfort in an unfamiliar
environment.

 Toys (such as games, stuffed animals,
and picture books)
 Medicines (prescribed medicines such as
fever reducers or asthma drugs)* Carefully prepare food and medicines ifyour kids have allergies.

 Emergency power supply

I can feel at easeby taking the medicinesprescribed by my family
doctor if I get sick.

Evacuating in the rain iscolder than you’d think.
A bath towel or blanket is really useful.
You can use it as covers, lay on it,
or use it as a screen.

Ask your kids what they have that is important to them.
Kids may value something adults do not expect. Prepare what you will take with you
with your kids.
An emergency power supply isconvenient when you sleep in yourcar or in case of power failure.
You can use it for simple air
conditioning, smartphone charging,lighting or other purposes.

 Bath towel or blanket

 Portable toilet and toilet paper Wet wipes

To prevent crimes or ask
for help in an emergency
 Crime prevention buzzer or whistle
Women and children should always carry a crime
prevention buzzer or whistle during evacuation and in
the evacuation shelter to call for help in an emergency.

9

Write down what you will take with you.
 Wallet (cash) Cell phone or smartphone and charger

 Familiar foods (baby food and milk) and beverages  Lighting (such as a solar-powered
lantern)
 Pop-up tent

If you experience a disaster, memories help support you mentally.
Keep maternal and child health handbooks and mementos (such as umbilicalcords, letters, drawings, report cards, awards, and photos) in as high a place aspossible (such as on the 2nd floor).

Tips

Convenient items
 Mobile battery./os

3. Prepare what you will take with you.

You need your smartphone orcell phone for information
gathering and communication
during evacuation.
Prepare a battery as well sothat you can use your phone
at any time.

Keep your gas tank full.
After a disaster, you may get caught intraffic jams at many places or the gas
station may be crowded when you
want to fuel your car. In addition, you
may need air conditioning if you haveto sleep in your car.

 Clothes and underwear

 Toothbrush sets (oral care items) Facemasks and antiseptic Feminine hygiene products and diapers

 Medicines (all medicines you use daily) and glasses

Passbooks, seals,
 and insurance cards

These facilitateprocedures.

Prepare incase your smartphone
becomes unusable.

 Emergency contact information




10

FY 2020 Okayama Prefecture Bichu Resident Bureau Proposal-based Collaboration ProjectRiver water level information
Risk Management Water Gauge

V o l. 1

It is dangerous to actually go to see a river for yourself.
Remotely check the water level with a live camera or on a website that shows
the water level.

NHK news disaster preparedness app
iPhoneAndroidThis app provides a lot of useful information including
news, weather, disaster information, and rain clouddata map and is very helpful for everyday life as well.

Google Maps
Google Maps not only provides a GPS function, but also information
on traffic jams and road closures. Use Google Maps to check yourevacuation route. (Internet search is also supported.)

iPhoneAndroid

Facebook

Inquiries

Please support the Kawabe Reconstruction Project ARUKU

Our activities depend on your donations and subsidies. Please support us so that residents in the Kawabe
area and Mabi town can recover from the disaster and lead a secure life and so that we can continue tocreating opportunities for everyone across Japan to think about disaster preparedness.

Account for donations: Bank Name: Kibi Shinkin Bank Branch Name: Kawabe Branch
Account No.: 0159563
Account Type: Saving
Account Holder: カワベフッコウプロジェクト ダイヒョウ マキハラ サトミ(Kawabe Fukkou Project ARUKU Daihyo MAKIHARA Satomi)

Please let us know your opinions
on the Disaster Preparedness
Guide for Parents and Kids.
11

Photos and experiences Parents in the Kawabe area and Mabi town
Photographer
Tomoe Obu (Harenohi Photo Studio)Book design
Tomomi Itaya (Drops)
Created in October 2020 / Partially amended in February 2022

Supervising editor: Chikako Isouchi, Associate Professor, Kagawa University,
Created by: Kawabe Reconstruction Project ARUKU