As a bereaved family teacher-To protect the smiles of children-March 11, 11:35
Many children lost their lives in the Great East Japan Earthquake 10 years ago.
The biggest damage to the school was Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture.
The evacuation was delayed and the tsunami struck, killing a total of 84 children and faculty members.
In October 2019, a ruling was finalized in a trial filed by some bereaved families, pointing out strict precautions on the part of the school, such as a sloppy disaster prevention manual.
How to protect children's lives and smiles from disasters.
As a bereaved family, as a teacher, there are men who continue to face each other.
(Sendai Broadcasting Station Ishinomaki Branch Reporter Keisuke Sato / Kochi Broadcasting Station Reporter Shiori Ito)
That day at school my daughter ...
The school building of Okawa Elementary School, which was damaged by the tsunami, is currently under construction for opening to the public as the remains of the earthquake scheduled for April.
It was Shinichiro Hiratsuka who lost his 6th grade daughter 10 years ago.
Mr. Hiratsuka
"It's said to be a milestone of 10 years, but for me there is no milestone or anything. The bereaved family must keep thinking about the unanswered question why my child had to die. should not"
Koharu, the eldest daughter who died, was a kind child who took good care of her younger brother and sister.
At that time, Mr. Hiratsuka was a teacher at a junior high school in Ishinomaki City.
I continued to search for Mr. Koharu, who was missing while managing the evacuation center.
Five months after the earthquake.
Koharu was found in the nearby sea.
Koharu dreamed of becoming the same teacher as his father.
Mr. Hiratsuka said that he naturally had a harsh face, saying, "I have to live up to my daughter's part."
However, at one point I realized what I had to do.
Mr. Hiratsuka
"I used to cry aloud when tears naturally came out in the car going back and forth from school, but what kind of feeling does my daughter in heaven feel when she sees herself? As a teacher, I began to think about how to make children, teachers, and parents smile. "
I want to protect my child's smile
Currently, Mr. Hiratsuka, who is the principal of Midoridai Junior High School in Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture, is trying to change the site by focusing on small things as well as preparing and training disaster prevention manuals.
What was important was how the teachers should make decisions in the event of an emergency.
At Okawa Elementary School, the decision to evacuate when there was no principal immediately after the earthquake and no managers became an issue.
Mr. Hiratsuka usually opened the door of the principal's office to increase conversations with teachers and give each person an opportunity to make decisions.
For example, until now, only managers made the decision to call an ambulance when a student became ill, but when he was absent, another teacher decided to make the decision.
We believe that the accumulation of these small changes can be utilized in the event of a disaster.
In addition, we are working with university experts to understand the power of children to live in the event of a disaster.
Conducted a questionnaire to understand student behavior, such as "Do you greet your family and neighbors on a daily basis?"
Instead of uniform disaster prevention education, we are trying to have each person acquire the ability to survive according to their individuality and characteristics.
First training in the 9th year since the earthquake
Mr. Hiratsuka thinks that it is important for teachers to be aware of disaster prevention.
Last November, at Okawa Elementary School, a workshop for teachers was held for the first time after the earthquake, hosted by the Board of Education.
Mr. Hiratsuka, who served as a lecturer, asked about his determination as a life-saving teacher.
Mr. Hiratsuka
"School is a place where children's precious lives are kept, and teachers' lives are also kept, and it is a place where children can acquire the power to live."
The lessons of Okawa Elementary School are nationwide
Efforts to improve the disaster prevention capabilities of teachers are now spreading nationwide.
Kochi Prefecture is expected to be severely damaged by the Nankai Trough giant earthquake.
In the worst case, Kuroshio Town is said to be hit by the highest tsunami of 34.4 meters in Japan.
Hirofumi Maeda, the principal of Irino Elementary School in Kuroshio Town, took seriously the sacrifice of children and faculty members at Okawa Elementary School and has been promoting disaster prevention measures unique to the school.
Irino Elementary School Principal Hirofumi Maeda
"If I were at Okawa Elementary School at that time, I don't know if I could have made the right decision. I think he gave us directions on how to respond in advance. "
Run up the slope 6 times a year
"Hurry, hurry"
Evacuation drills held at Irino Elementary School.
On a cold winter morning, children are out of breath and run up a steep slope at once.
The expression is serious.
No child stops.
The children headed to a hill about 40 meters above sea level.
The school is located outside the tsunami inundation area, but based on the lessons learned from Okawa Elementary School, we changed the evacuation site to a higher location in order to prepare for “unexpected”.
These trainings are held six times a year in a variety of situations, such as when going to and from school or during pool lessons.
Children do not run away after gathering, but each aim for an evacuation site.
This is because the aim is to establish the awareness of "leading evacuation."
Learn from the bereaved family principal Hiratsuka
Irino Elementary School has been focusing on disaster prevention measures.
What kind of awareness and ingenuity do you need to continue your efforts in the future?
Ten years before the earthquake, in February, the faculty members spoke online with Mr. Hiratsuka.
Shinichiro Hiratsuka
"It's really heartbreaking to lose my daughter as a parent. Sadness doesn't change over the years. The important thing is to give top priority to saving lives. It is responsible for protecting the lives of people. Schools must also be aware that it is a job that entrusts the lives of children and faculty members. It is important how to embody this awareness in disaster prevention measures. "
The teachers asked Mr. Hiratsuka about the difficulties he feels on a daily basis.
Irino Elementary School teacher
"Children do not remember the damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and do not feel the fear of an earthquake or tsunami."
"I'm weak in my own affairs. I'm worried that there will be an atmosphere like'I did it the other day'."
"If you repeat it many times, it will naturally occur."
Mr. Hiratsuka advised the worried teachers based on his own experience.
Mr. Hiratsuka
"There is still concern that Miyagi, who has experienced the earthquake, will become a rut. It is meaningless if you just stop thinking and just run away. It is important to improve the quality of disaster prevention education that we are currently conducting by changing and devising methods. "
I felt the importance of protecting lives from Mr. Hiratsuka's words, such as the teachers saying, "You cannot make appropriate decisions without enriching your experience, and you want to increase your knowledge of disaster prevention."
It's been 10 years since that day.
In order not to lose my life at school again.
As a bereaved family and a teacher, Mr. Hiratsuka will continue to face the scene.
Mr. Hiratsuka
"I would like to do what I can do in my own circumstances and position. I hope that will lead to the protection of many lives."
Sendai Broadcasting Station Ishinomaki Branch Reporter
Keisuke Sato
Joined in 2016 In addition to the earthquake and fisheries, we also interview foreigners who are good at English.
Kochi Broadcasting Station Reporter
Shiori Ito
Joined
Hiroshima Station in
2016 In
charge of police and prefectural government coverage Since last summer, Kochi Station disaster prevention measures