BOSAI: Be Prepared - Staying Safe in Snow

Are you ready if disaster strikes?

Find out what you need to do by watching this program...

BOSAI: Be Prepared.

The topic this time is: Staying Safe in Snow.

Did you know that Japan is one of the world's major heavy snowfall countries?

One characteristic is that snowfall is common even in many heavily populated areas.

Every winter, snow-related accidents involving both people...

and vehicles frequently occur.

Hi! I'm Chairat Thomya from Thailand.

Before coming to Japan, I only think that snow is very beautiful.

But, on the other hand, we should understand that snow can be dangerous.

When it snows in the city, what kind of safety measures should we take?

What should we do?

Chairat visits a facility in Yamagata, a prefecture known for its snowy climate.

Here there is a rare laboratory that can make snow very close to natural snow.

Hello.

Nice to meet you. I'm Nakamura, the manager of this center.

Nakamura Kazuki is a specialist on snow-related disasters.

Did you make this snow?

Yes, we did!

The current temperature here is Minus 11.6 degrees Celsius.

Oh!

I come from Thailand where there is no snowfall.

So it's hard to walk on Japanese city streets on snowy days.

We're going to have you experience three dangerous snow-related situations today: walking on slippery icy roads, snowstorms, and snow sliding off roofs.

Those three.

Okay.

First, icy roads following snowfall.

An icy road has been reproduced inside the laboratory.

What condition is this?

This is the state in which snow has melted and then frozen again.

Many accidents occur every year on icy roads, such as people falling and breaking bones.

Chairat tries to walk on the icy road.

It's a little bit slippery here.

Oops!

He's walking with unsteady steps.

Usually, when you walk on the street, you start from the heel, and then lower your toes like this, right?

You might fall if you walk on icy roads as you normally do.

Try to put your toes and heel down at the same time.

Ah, I see.

Like this.

And don't walk with long strides.

Keep your strides short and put your soles down evenly.

Another point is that if you lean back too much, you may slip and fall over with a thud, so put your weight a little more forward.

Oh, I see.

You can also get special items to protect against icy roads at outdoor equipment stores.

One example is snow boots with folding spikes provided in the sole.

Next, snowstorms.

In cold regions such as Hokkaido and Tohoku, there are times even in the cities when snowstorms occur and visibility becomes poor.

Chairat will now experience a snowstorm with a wind speed of 5 meters per second, which is regarded as the weakest type.

My eyes... I can't open my eyes very much.

Eh... It's kind of hard to see... My eyes are hurting.

What happens to visibility if the wind speed increases?

In fact, even stronger winds can be created inside this device.

It can generate wind speeds of up to 20 meters per second.

By placing model cars inside, visibility during heavy snowstorms can be verified.

A yellow car is placed seven meters away.

In a blizzard with double the wind speed, visibility becomes so bad.

We can't even see the car in front, let alone the yellow one.

What should I do if I find myself in a snowstorm?

If you are walking, keep away from the vehicle lanes.

This is a view from inside a car during an actual snowstorm.

Even oncoming cars with their lights cannot be seen until they get very close.

Pedestrians should always walk on the sidewalk or at the edge of the road.

So, how powerful is a snowstorm with a wind speed of 20 meters per second?

Oh, wow! I couldn't take that at all!

It's better not to go outside.

Just looking at it is scary.

But blizzards like this do occur once every few years.

Really?

Staying outside is dangerous, so you should get inside a safe building immediately.

In built-up areas, you should also be careful of snow falling from roofs.

Snow is soft and fluffy when it has just fallen.

Like this...

Fluffy, yes.

But please hold this...

It's hard and heavy.

Heavy!

Totally different.

It's hard, so it doesn't feel like snow.

It's more like ice.

Snow that has melted and then hardened again is two to five times heavier than soft snow.

If such heavy snow falls...

... it can cause tremendous damage to people and property.

The roads are slippery, so it's easy to get distracted by your feet, but you should also pay attention to what's above you.

If there's still snow on the roofs, don't walk under them!

Snow also increases driving risks.

So what should drivers pay attention to?

The first and most important thing is tires.

You should use winter tires.

Make sure you do this.

Yes.

And on top of that, don't drive too fast.

Keep to a moderate speed.

Also, avoid sudden steering or braking, which can lead to skidding.

What should I do when there's a snowstorm?

Do I continue driving?

If you suddenly find yourself in that situation, stop the car in a place where you won't be in the way of others.

In addition, there is a very important point drivers should be aware of regarding getting stuck in snow.

If you leave the engine running, exhaust fumes can get into the car.

The point here is snow blocking the car's exhaust pipe.

When a car gets buried in snow, exhaust gases without anywhere to escape may even enter the car's interior.

Moreover, if there is no access to outside air, people in the car may suffer carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal.

When it's unavoidable to keep the engine running to to get warmth, you should occasionally remove snow from around the rear exhaust pipe and vehicle body

while watching out for cars driving around you.

And it's recommended to carry a snow shovel and snow boots in your car.

You have to watch both above you and your feet when walking on snowy days.

I had no such knowledge when I was in my hot country.

So today's experience has taught me a lot.

Snow is beautiful, and it's also a water resource, so I want everyone to feel its positive aspects, but to enjoy it only after knowing how to avoid its dangers.