A few weeks back I was fortunate enough to go on an excursion with my grade 5 students to the local ‘Disaster Prevention Centre’.This high-tech centre is located in the town we live, Kitajima, so we went there on foot.
A few weeks back I was fortunate enough to go on an excursion with my grade 5 students to the local ‘Disaster Prevention Centre’.This high-tech centre is located in the town we live, Kitajima, so we went there on foot.
When we arrived at the centre we were greeted by ever so polite and immaculately presented female staff. Their formality and politeness was actually a bit over the top, I thought. Everything they said had obviously been learnt off by heart so that they came across as little more than robots.
The centre goes to great length to simulate natural disasters and their effects. It also provides comprehensive historical data about natural disasters to have afflicted Japan. It’s all quite impressive and interesting however whether it is really educational or beneficial is questionable. The basic problem is the same one that prevails throughout most of the Japanese education system- there is no room for critical analysis, instead everything must be rote learnt in robotic-like fashion, (just like the guides).
Nonetheless we did have fun at the centre. The smoke evacuation drill was like a haunted house. The earthquake simulation was rockin’ - especially when they turned up the Richter scale to about 7, the same strength as the Hanshin (Kobe) Earthquake. The typhoon simulation room was a blast too - we even got to wear groovy goggles for it!
Nonetheless we did have fun at the centre. The smoke evacuation drill was like a haunted house. The earthquake simulation was rockin’ - especially when they turned up the Richter scale to about 7, the same strength as the Hanshin (Kobe) Earthquake. The typhoon simulation room was a blast too - we even got to wear groovy goggles for it!
Once the guided tour was over the kids got to try the remaining interactive displays such as the virtual reality evacuation and the emergency communications drill. They also got to try on firemen’s uniforms and pose in the fire engine for photos.
Endnote: I don’t want to tempt fate, but disaster prevention education may be necessary to prepare for the future here in Shikoku. A large faultline runs from the main island of Honshu through Shikoku and the Seto Inland Sea to Kyushu. (See here: http://glgarcs.lad.jp/geology_tectline.html ). The fault rumbled a few weeks ago while I was at work. The bookcases behind me shook ominously, scaring me enough to seek refuge under my desk!
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