Basic Study on Appropriate Ways to Hold Reserves to Continue Domestic Life After Large-Scale Earthquakes

In case a large-scale disaster that can be called a national crisis, it is difficult to resolve lifeline issues by approaching them from only the service provider side. Therefore, this study investigated the possibility of using measures taken by citizens, the service recipients, to improve the problem. The results indicate that there is a high probability that the functions of common lifeline services can be substituted by effectively utilizing supplies normally kept in stock for daily living in case relief supplies cannot be delivered. It is important to revise conventional thinking on emergency stocks (i.e., keeping a large stock of supplies for the sole purpose of disaster preparation) and shift to “circulatory reserves.” However, it was found that many households are lacking in the tools for cooking, and in adequate stock of drinking water. This deficiency must be brought to citizens’ attention so that they will make an effort to remedy the situation.