The Palaceside Building’s volunteer fire brigade held its traditional New Year first-drill ceremony on the roof on the morning of the 5th. About 50 building staff took part, moving briskly under their commander’s direction.
The weather was fine enough that beautiful Mount Fuji stood out clearly from the roof, but at 10:00 a.m., when training began, the temperature was 6.0°C and gusts left fingers numb. After a New Year address by Toshiro Hara, captain of the building’s volunteer fire brigade (president of Mainichi Building Co.), participants shouted as they practiced extinguishing fires with extinguishers and indoor hydrants, and operating an AED (automated external defibrillator).
The Palaceside Building’s first-drill ceremony has been held every year since January 10, 1967, three months after completion. Last year’s event was canceled because of the pandemic, so this was the first in two years.