Efforts to secure volunteers in Nagano City in areas affected by typhoon 19

Nagano City in Typhoon No. 19 affected areas Volunteer efforts to secure volunteers October 31 19:51

Two weeks have passed since Typhoon No. 19, and the number of volunteers visiting the disaster area continues to decrease. Along with the prolonged reconstruction work, Nagano City has begun efforts to keep volunteers coming.

In Nagano City, where more than 5,000 houses were damaged by Typhoon No. 19, volunteers came from various locations every day to clean up the houses.

According to the social welfare council that operates the Volunteer Center, the number of volunteers gathering in Nagano City has been on the decline, peaking at 3000 people on October 20th, the first Sunday after the disaster, and 506 on the 29th. It was the least except for.

Even if you have finished cleaning up large furniture etc., there are many houses that are not able to work such as scraping mud accumulated under the floor or barn, cleaning and disinfecting, but on the day when residents want to work Volunteers may not be able to come.

At the Social Welfare Council, in addition to the diminished interest over time, the widespread disaster-stricken area is a background, and there is a concern that it may further decrease as the cold gets worse.

For this reason, while continuing to call for participation on the website, etc., we received advice and cooperation from volunteers who have abundant experience in other affected areas such as the Great East Japan Earthquake, and improved the environment so that volunteers who once participated will continue to come. We are.

Specifically, in addition to increasing the number of volunteer pick-up buses and temporary toilets at the site, multiple bases were set up in the damaged areas so that they could walk to the site, and staff members volunteered around the area. And listening to the demands of the victims and improving them each time.

Mr. Mitsuru Kainuma, Director of Nagano City Disaster Volunteer Center, said, “At first there was a part that was not ready to accept, but now there are more detailed bases in the district. Many people come to Nagano I want you to help me. "

Disaster NGO “Development of acceptance structure through public-private partnerships”

Tomotake Maehara (41), the representative of the disaster NGO “Yui”, who is cooperating with the operation of the Volunteer Center in Nagano City, said, “It will get colder and volunteers will decrease. It is important to prepare. "

Maehara started volunteering in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake, and has visited 25 disaster-stricken areas so far to support reconstruction, including the establishment of a volunteer center.

Immediately after Typhoon No. 19, I entered Nagano City and made use of my local experience to provide advice and cooperation on the establishment and operation of a volunteer center.

In order to make it easier for volunteers to work, it is recommended to set up multiple bases in the area where the damage was great, so that the branches of the flooded city hall can be cleaned up and used, and the situation of the entire affected area is in the base I put an easy-to-understand map so that fewer volunteers can be placed efficiently.

Mr. Maehara said, “By making a more detailed base in the area, volunteers can be made closer. We have the advantage of being able to work with the local community.”

On the other hand, the number of volunteers is expected to decline dramatically as the temperature increases, and it is a tough situation where a lot of work must be done in a short time before the snow falls. “How to increase repeaters. It ’s important to work with the government to make sure that you ’re ready to come again. ”

The victims also support volunteers

Some people who have been affected by the disaster are trying to cooperate in accepting volunteers.

The ramen shop in Tsuno, Nagano City, which was severely damaged by the breakup of the embankment, was inundated immediately after the store was completely renovated and opened.

The owner, Takuya Kosaka, wanted to help volunteers who helped with the reconstruction of the area. I'm pretending to be.

A woman in Toyama Prefecture who visited a volunteer said, “I am thankful that there was resistance in the temporary toilet. I wanted to support you more.”

Mr. Kosaka said, “Even if only my store recovers quickly, it doesn't mean anything. I think there is a local recovery and there is my recovery. I realized that volunteering is necessary for the recovery. I wanted to provide an environment where people can come for a long time. "