Expansion of Stockpiled Disaster Supplies

Human Capacity Building

Designated evacuation center warehouse

Sendai City recommends that each household prepare disaster supplies consisting of one-week worth of food supply, drinking water, basic living supplies and medical supplies. The city also has planned public stockpiles at each evacuation center. These reserves store two days’ worth of food (six meals per person) and drinking water (two liters per person), mobile toilets, portable gas type generators, supplies for treating infections, and other supplies required for the operation of evacuation centers.
The content of each reserve can accommodate up to 106,000 evacuees and 10,000 disaster response workers, which was the maximum number of evacuees and workers during the Great East Japan Earthquake. Moreover, each Ward Office, etc. are tasked with the storage of items such as milk powder, nursing bottles and other baby items, sanitary products, supplies for treating infections control measures, so as to ensure that resources are appropriately distributed depending on the demands of each evacuation center.
Also, supplies for women, elderly persons, and so on are stockpiled as distribution inventory in the warehouses of private sector companies and delivered to evacuation centers at times of disaster based on the distribution stockpile method. In addition, 102 community disaster-prevention centers that can become bases for local volunteer disaster risk reduction activities have been established, while basic disaster risk reduction equipment and materials warehouses have been established in 30 districts that have no such center. Such stockpiles ensure that communities will have the necessary equipment and materials to conduct volunteer disaster risk reduction activities during times of disaster.

Use of Emergency Supplies

Running stock system

In 2010, Sendai City introduced a ‘running stock system’ to stockpile goods for disasters for the first case that this system was introduced in an ordinance-designated city. Under this system, the goods that the city has purchased, such as disposable diapers, sanitary items, and toilet paper are put in the distribution route of sales companies and stored in their warehouses as part of emergency supplies, and, in times of disaster, the goods are sent to evacuation centers. This system has the advantages that it does not need to be renewed with the expiration, saves purchasing costs, and does not require a warehouse for storage. Immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake, these stockpiled goods were provided to each evacuation center according to this system.

Links

DRR Practice⑭ Disaster Risk Reduction Plan; Business Continuity Plan (BCP)

InquiriesDisaster Risk Reduction Promotion Section,
Crisis Management Department
kks000130@city.sendai.jp