Merits and Examples of Signing a Disaster Support Agreement. Enables delivery of supplies immediately after a disaster strikes.

大規模な地震や台風などの災害が発生したとき、行政・自治体による非常用物資の迅速な手配が必要になります。しかし、いざ物資を手配しようとするとさまざまな承認や調整の手続きが必要となり、災害対応の混乱の中で早急な配備を行えないことが課題になっています。

この課題を解消して迅速な物資の調達を可能にする「災害時応援協定」について、この記事に概要、メリット、事例などをまとめました。

自治体の災害対応ご担当者様に向けた内容です。ぜひご覧ください。

What is a Disaster Support Agreement?

For a definition of a disaster support agreement, please see the wikipedia citation first.

A disaster relief agreement is an agreement concluded between or among local governments (hereafter, “municipalities”) and private businesses or related organizations regarding human and material support for various emergency recovery activities in the event of a disaster.

When a large-scale disaster strikes, the functions of local governments are temporarily severely impaired. Under such circumstances, it is extremely difficult to promptly carry out emergency recovery activities such as the supply of supplies, medical relief, and emergency transportation, and there is no time to go through the formal procedures.

Therefore, local governments and various private businesses conclude agreements in advance to realize extensive and smooth emergency restoration activities even in times of emergency.

Advantages of Signing a Disaster Support Agreement

By concluding a disaster support agreement, the recipient municipality can enjoy two main major benefits.

• Prompt assistance is available in case of emergency.
• Reduced monetary costs.

Prompt assistance is available in case of emergency.

In the event of a disaster, rapid emergency recovery efforts will be required, but even the implementation of basic measures such as the “installation of emergency tents by private businesses,” for example, will involve complicated approval procedures and coordination with related parties, which will risk causing delays in response. This delay is even more pronounced in the chaos immediately after a disaster strikes, and similar issues were particularly highlighted in the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, and the 2018 torrential rains in western Japan. In light of these reflections, municipalities are becoming more active each year in considering disaster support agreements.

By concluding a Disaster Support Agreement, the municipality will be able to receive prompt support in the event of a disaster, such as the supply of supplies and the installation of emergency equipment, through advance preparation and planning.

Reduced monetary costs.

One of the major benefits of the conclusion of the agreement is not only the quick response and elimination of procedures, but also the reduction of financial costs. In particular, the availability of large materials and equipment that require large space for storage can significantly reduce costs both spatially and financially by reducing the cost of securing space and replacing it.

Examples of materials that may be needed in the event of a disaster

The following are examples of materials that municipalities must arrange for during emergency restoration activities in response to earthquake and typhoon damage. You can see how many large materials are required.

Partitions for privacy

In evacuation centers such as gymnasiums, privacy is a major issue, so partitions are needed for changing clothes, nursing, etc.

Various large tents

Large tents are very useful when setting up an outdoor base of operations for transporting push relief supplies or an administrative office. This is a material for which it is difficult for a municipality alone to have more than one on a regular basis, especially because of the high cost of storage.

Negative pressure tents for medical and quarantine use

Facilities are also needed to combat the novel coronavirus, which requires negative pressure facilities to control the internal environment.

Heat Stroke Tent

Temporary facilities with air conditioning to cope with heat stroke are needed in evacuation centers, especially during the summer months.

Coin-operated showers for shelters

Bathing facilities are essential for maintaining sanitary conditions. Temporary shower facilities are needed in evacuation centers.

Temporary facilities for disaster waste and debris disposal

After a disaster strikes, debris and other waste must be disposed of. Temporary enclosures and large tents are needed to prevent scattering.

Materials for waterfront restoration work

In particular, typhoons and torrential rains can easily cause river slopes to collapse, requiring immediate restoration measures. Since emergency restoration work materials are needed quickly at this time, the benefits of concluding an agreement to improve the efficiency of arrangements are tremendous.

Initiatives of Taiyo Kogyo Corporation

Among the private companies signing agreements, which are increasing every year, Taiyo Kogyo Corporation boasts a large number of agreements signed and support supplied. Taiyo Kogyo is the world’s leading manufacturer of membrane structures, and its products are used in various construction projects symbolized by giant dome roofs, as well as in the fields of civil engineering, logistics, and the environment. In recent years, the company has attracted public attention for its emergency response to the many disasters that have occurred in various regions, medical negative pressure tents for use against the new coronavirus, and protective suits for hospital visits.

Suggestions for shelters and supply centers that can be provided under the Disaster Assistance Agreement

The following are the main materials that Taiyo Kogyo, which has a track record of supply as well as disaster relief agreements, can offer. Taiyo Kogyo boasts an excellent lineup of large materials, especially tents, for securing privacy and sanitation, restoration work, and flood damage response.

Mc Quick Shelter

This air tent can be easily set up by anyone in as little as 3 minutes and can be stored compactly. With a wide variety of options, it is also effective in emergency medical response and heat stroke countermeasures. It was used as a countermeasure to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus and as a heat stroke countermeasure during emergency restoration work after the torrential rains in western Japan.

Quick partitions

This partition can be set up in only about 30 seconds to 1 minute. It is also stockpiled as a tent-type partition for disaster use by the Cabinet Office.

tow tent

This large tent can be easily set up with a wrecker. It takes only 30 minutes to set up and is designed to withstand wind speeds of 20 m/s.

BIG MQ

This large air tent is quick to set up and take down, is especially suited for short-term installations, and can withstand winds as high as 15 mph. Once deployed, it can be up and out in about 10 minutes and taken down in about 60 minutes.

coin-operated shower stall

This is an assembled coin-operated shower system that requires no tools, and bathing time can be controlled with coins. By enclosing it with the air tent mentioned above, a space can be created for changing clothes during bathing, and when combined with a dedicated air conditioner/heater, the bathing facility becomes even more comfortable.

Max Wall.

This is a box-shaped continuous steel frame that can be used as a temporary earth retaining structure. The inside of the steel frame is covered with non-woven fabric, which is spread on site and filled with locally generated soil, sand, or crushed stone. It can be freely connected, divided, and bent in cell units (approximately 1 m) for installation.

concrete canvas

This emergency restoration material can create a durable, watertight, and fire-resistant concrete surface simply by laying the mat on the ground and sprinkling water on it. It enables restoration work in a short period of time without the need for large heavy machinery or specialized technicians.

delta panel

It is a sheet-type waterproofing tool used in place of sandbags, and is compact and lightweight, can be quickly set up by anyone, and has high waterproofing effectiveness and durability.

TACOM

This is a “fabric formwork” that greatly shortens the construction period for slope protection work. It can be easily transported to any location, and can be laid without special machinery, skills, or formworkers. After laying, mortar and concrete are injected to form a durable concrete structure.

In February 2021, Taiyo Kogyo concluded a disaster support agreement with Kumamoto Prefecture.

Based on the reflection and evaluation of our supply performance in the Kumamoto earthquake in 2008 and the torrential rain disaster in 2020, Taiyo Kogyo concluded a disaster support agreement with Kumamoto Prefecture in February 2021. In the Kumamoto earthquake, Taiyo Kogyo provided large tents free of charge, as well as the aforementioned McQuick shelters and civil engineering restoration work. For the torrential rain disaster, we provided office cars and quick partitions. We also received the following comment from Governor Ikuo Kabashima of Kumamoto Prefecture.

Comments by Ikuo Kabashima, Governor of Kumamoto Prefecture

Shelter management is extremely important as an initial response to a disaster. We believe that the supplies provided through this agreement will greatly contribute to the comfort of evacuation centers in the event of a corona disaster from the perspective of preventing infection and ensuring privacy. We hope that the network of tent operators in the prefecture will be utilized to provide speedy assistance in the event of a disaster. We look forward to the synergistic effects of the sun and our respective strengths. We would like to be well prepared for the next disaster along with the progress of creative reconstruction.

Taiyo Kogyo's track record of concluding disaster support agreements

As of February 2023, Taiyo Kogyo has signed the following 61 disaster support agreements.

summary

In Japan, a country prone to earthquakes, typhoons, and other disasters, it is essential for local governments to conclude disaster support agreements. We encourage those in charge of disaster response in each municipality to consider entering into such agreements in order to receive support and financial benefits in the event of a disaster.