earthquakes
the journal of Michael Werneburg
twenty-seven years and one million words
Mari and I were stuck at home today because The Boy has a fever. The news of the quake in Chile caused us to brush up our disaster plans.
With good success! In addition to the rations and equipment we already had set aside, we've now got a small backpack stuffed with semi-retired clothing and bits of equipment. We're going to supplement this with laminated maps of the local evacuation plan (see below) and have concocted a plan for getting together in case of a major earthquake during the work week.
We've even gone so far as to think about what we'll do in case of major destruction that forces us to flee Tokyo. The answer is: flee Tokyo. Haneda airport is not far from here but it's also right on the water (out onto the water, actually) and we're doubtful that it'll be intact and/or operating following a major disaster. So we've got our eye on the brand new Shizuoka airport, from which we can catch a flight to either Fukuoka or Kagoshima. Hmm, not sure whether that's a plan or a theory .. or maybe a daydream? But it's something.
There's more to do, though. I've already moved a lot of heavy stuff off of the high shelving in the apartment, and today I finished putting up the last covers for the very top-most shelves. I need a lot more containers, it seems, to be sure that stuff isn't flying in every direction should a quake hit.
I want to get myself a sturdy utility knife and some long-lasting matches and candles and perhaps one of those hand-crank radios. And I am going to cut up and laminate a district road/rail map that I picked up somewhere for the purpose. We also have to sort out how to make use of the emergency-time telephone system that Mari knows exists.
Also, I'm the Canadian Consulate's disaster-response warden for Minato City in central Tokyo. I'm going to have to brush up my preparedness there, and I think it's time that I contact the people on my list. Perhaps a snail-mail out to each household on my list introducing myself and showing them where their local evacuation sites are. And how they can contact the Consulate.