Fire and disaster training at the Mikasa Memorial Ship/Yokosuka

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1203010016/

March 1st, 2012

Sweat pours from participants training to rescue the wounded, at the preserved Japanese Battleship Mikasa=March 1st, Inaokacho, Yokosuka

March 1st marked the beginning of the entire countries' Spring fire prevention drills. On the Memorial Battleship Mikasa of Yokosuka City, both fire and disaster training were carried out. 400 participated, including the city of Chuo's Fire Department, the Mikasa Preservation Society, local firefighter unions, neighborhood associations and the Yokosuka Institutional Elementary and Kindergarten Schools.

With a historical boom of visitors continuing to show favourable interest in Battleship Mikasa and the surrounding area, the city aims to involve itself with disaster prevention awareness. The Disaster Self Defense Force of Japan has continually been placed at Battleship Mikasa for periodic training. As of March 1st, they have begun training with the city's fire department.

For the training, a scenario played out where a short circuit cause a fire to erupt on Mikasa's 2nd level deck. After the wounded were assisted in evacuating, the upper ship was sprayed with water. Local residents received training on equipment for extinguishing the early stages of a fire. Within Mikasa Public Park, they were also trained on the use of reservoirs and accessing the city's water supply.

Chuo City's fire chief, Niikura Kazou commented "Over a year has passed since Eastern Japan's great disaster. We've been thinking of whatever we could do during times of emergency, and wished to launch this training exercise.


Original text: 
記念艦「三笠」で合同防火防災訓練/横須賀
2012年3月1日

記念艦「三笠」で負傷者の救助訓練に汗を流す参加者＝１日、横須賀市稲岡町

春の全国火災予防運動が始まった１日、横須賀市の記念艦「三笠」で合同防火防災訓練が実施された。市中央消防署と三笠保存会、地元の消防団や町内会、横須賀学院小学校や幼稚園の子どもたちなど４００人が参加した。

歴史ブームを追い風に好調な集客を続けている三笠と周辺地域で、防災意識の向上につなげてもらう狙い。三笠は自衛消防隊が置かれており、定期的に訓練を続けているが、市の消防隊との合同訓練は今回が初めて。

訓練は、三笠の２階デッキで漏電による火災が起きたと想定。負傷者役が助け出され、船上から水を放った。周辺住民のため、消火器による初期消火訓練や、三笠公園内にある貯水槽を使った給水訓練も併せて行った。

新倉和夫・中央消防署長は「東日本大震災から間もなく１年。災害時に何をすべきかを考え、行動を起こしてほしい」と話していた。