Analysis of the occurrence of evacuation assistance for wheelchair users by tsunami evacuation drill observations

Abstract

In 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake caused great damage to the elderly and disabled, as well as many of the people who supported their evacuation. Various measures and evacuation drills are under way for evacuation of vulnerable people, and when evacuating, it is often decided who will support the evacuation of the vulnerable people. However, there is a need for a mindset that anyone can become an evacuation supporter because there is a possibility that it will not go as set in the actual situation. Therefore, in this study, in order to enable more efficient evacuation of wheelchairs, we measured the evacuation speed and observed an evacuation drill conducted in Nakatosa Town, and examined them separately in 4 phases: preparation, evacuation start time, evacuation action time, and evacuation spare time. As a result, factors to be reflected in evacuation drill and assistance action types for wheelchair evacuation were derived. By incorporating the verification used in this study into the tsunami evacuation plan, we hope to contribute to reducing human damage, including those who vulnerable people and their supporters.