ARROWS Facilitates Evacuee Transfer to Safer Evacuation Centers｜Civic Force（シビックフォース）

2020.07.07 2020 July Heavy Rain EvacuationCenter MedicalAssistance ActivityReport

ARROWS Facilitates Evacuee Transfer to Safer Evacuation Centers

On July 6, Civic Force's joint emergency assistance team, ARROWS (Airborne Rescue and Relief Operations With Search), distributed masks at an evacuation center set up in Kuma Athletic Park and assisted a new evacuation center installation in a nearby middle school.

"We must move the evacuees to a better environment"

The evacuation center in Kuma Athletic Park was an outdoor space with only a roof and vinyl floor sheets as pictured below. The area was crowded with over 200 evacuees of which some were rescued by helicopters. The evacuees had no access to running water or electricity, not to mention a lack of adequate COVID-19 prevention measures.

On July 5, upon the recommendation of ARROWS' project leader, Dr. Inaba, ARROWS and local municipalities arranged to move the evacuees to two new evacuation centers. "We must move the evacuees to a better environment in which we can ensure COVID-19 prevention measures and the well-being of the evacuees," said Dr. Inaba.

Emergency Relief Items Delivered to New Evacuation Centers

ARROWS' nurses and doctors from TMAT, a partner organization, worked together to set up an evacuation center at Hitoyoshi First Middle School. The team emphasized COVID-19 prevention measures during planning. On July 6, most of the evacuees from Kuma Athletic Park moved to the new evacuation center at the middle school and another evacuation center at Taragi High School.

ARROWS dispatched another round of emergency relief items from Saga. The items included tents, underwear, water containers, and water. In the afternoon of July 6, the relief items were delivered to Hitoyoshi First Middle School and distributed to the evacuees immediately. ARROWS set up a dedicated space for evacuees with pets.