Countermeasure for Coping with Snow Considering Fluctuation of Snowfall and Snow Depth Based on Regional Epidemielogic Character

Abstract

In order to extrapolate the future developments based on the contemporary trend of increasing aging ratio, our main research theme is to be useful for the pompousness of disaster mitigations considering with accidents related to snow. Accidents related to snow removal on the roof occurred in heavy snow areas including Niigata Prefecture approximately 50 to 100 incidents every year. These accidents are influenced by quantities of snowfalls and snow depth annually, or epidemielogic character. However, aging ratio is soaring in heavy snowy areas, inevitably people over 70 years old are obliged to do coping with snow by themselves, because of lacking in man-power due to rapid plunge of the birth rate. We recognized importance of countermeasure for old people as to coping with snow under safety. Hence, we calculated the correlation coefficients between total amount of snowfalls annually and numbers of accidents in Niigata Prefecture by using Peason's method. We utilized average of total amount of snowfalls in Niigata Prefecture as a parameter. Accidents related coping with snow were reported around many places regardless of geographical feature. Then, means of quantity of snowfalls were calculated in accordance with the results of meteorological observation data in Niigata Prefecture. Amount of snowfalls and number of accidents have high correlationship, especially severe injured people are vulnerable to quantity of snowfalls. Authors scrutinized mitigation program that are employed by municipal governments. According to the countermeasures that are amended by municipal governments, many governors make decisions as to registration of volunteers who aid snow removal and financial support for retrofit structures.