Five years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, on the 10th, the day before 3.11, Palaceside Building held a “comprehensive fire drill.” The Joint Fire Prevention and Disaster Management Council of all tenants holds it each year in the spring and autumn national fire-prevention campaigns.
At 2:30 p.m. a large quake was assumed to hit the Tokyo area, beginning with an in-building broadcast: “Drill — earthquake.” After taking cover under desks and the like, a fire was assumed at an east-side restaurant on the first basement; the disaster-prevention center tried first-stage extinguishing with extinguishers but the fire grew, and at 2:36 an evacuation advisory
emergency broadcast went out; from shops and offices on B1 through the ninth floor people actually “escaped” to the first floor by emergency stairs and the like.
After that they gathered on the roof for practical training. First the volunteer fire-brigade chief (president of Mainichi Building) and all 511 participants from shops, offices and building staff lined up and offered one minute of silence for the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake (photo at upper right).
Next they took indoor hydrant hoses and aimed at a target about 10 meters away,
spraying water (photo at the very top), first-stage extinguishing with extinguishers (actual spray from water-filled units) (photo at upper left), CPR with an AED (automated external defibrillator) (photo at lower left) and, a smoke-experience house (harmless smoke filling a tent to walk through). From the full menu each participant tried something, and at 3:
25 p.m. it ended.
The morning forecast of a high around 12 degrees (about average) was wrong; it was a cold day. After 8.5 degrees at 1:49 p.m. it only fell: 7.8 at 2:00 and still 7.8 at 3:00, a north wind making the weather unfortunate, but everyone worked with zeal. Truly, thank you for the effort.