2011年02月28日
Firefighters Exh. Dezomeshiki
Having been trained to fight forest fires in the Canadian bush, I have a profound respect for firefighters the world over. In Japanese cities, where houses are packed so tightly together, I am especially thankful for the professional and volunteer firefighter corps. This year, I got a firsthand glimpse of what they can do.
Every January, firefighters all over Japan show off their skills in a major exhibition known as Dezomeshiki. In Takamatsu, this took place on January 10. The city’s firefighting force with all their trucks and equipment converged on the Sun Messe convention center and paraded in front of a large crowd of spectators.
Despite the fact that it was a frigid and blustery morning, the kids and mechanic fans loved this part.
To be very honest, however, I was not there by choice. I was there as part of the local women’s volunteer brigade and I am not that interested in machines or parades. My job was to hand out pamphlets on fire safety, and I wasn’t expecting to be entertained. Despite this, the demonstration part of the program was so impressive that I’m glad I went.
Predictably, the demonstration consisted of a fake fire in a fake building with real people (but fake injuries) trapped inside.
Of course, fire engines and firefighters rushed to the rescue.
It may have been predictable but it was still thrilling to watch. The firefighters were fast, efficient and thorough, and if I’m ever trapped in a burning building, I hope there will be people like these to help me get out. I’m sure most of the crowd felt the same way. (And as they would all prefer not to be caught in a burning building perhaps our fire safety pamphlets will be read!)
The finale was spectacular, although to the firefighters it must seem a nasty form of water torture. I expect it is designed to increase the firefighters’ endurance but it made me appreciate how hard it must be to fight fires in winter, a dry time of year in Takamatsu when fires are frequent.
This is what it looked like.
The poor men standing down wind from the ladder trucks! It must have been freezing. They did, however, get a big and well-deserved round of applause.
Every January, firefighters all over Japan show off their skills in a major exhibition known as Dezomeshiki. In Takamatsu, this took place on January 10. The city’s firefighting force with all their trucks and equipment converged on the Sun Messe convention center and paraded in front of a large crowd of spectators.
Despite the fact that it was a frigid and blustery morning, the kids and mechanic fans loved this part.
To be very honest, however, I was not there by choice. I was there as part of the local women’s volunteer brigade and I am not that interested in machines or parades. My job was to hand out pamphlets on fire safety, and I wasn’t expecting to be entertained. Despite this, the demonstration part of the program was so impressive that I’m glad I went.
Predictably, the demonstration consisted of a fake fire in a fake building with real people (but fake injuries) trapped inside.
Of course, fire engines and firefighters rushed to the rescue.
It may have been predictable but it was still thrilling to watch. The firefighters were fast, efficient and thorough, and if I’m ever trapped in a burning building, I hope there will be people like these to help me get out. I’m sure most of the crowd felt the same way. (And as they would all prefer not to be caught in a burning building perhaps our fire safety pamphlets will be read!)
The finale was spectacular, although to the firefighters it must seem a nasty form of water torture. I expect it is designed to increase the firefighters’ endurance but it made me appreciate how hard it must be to fight fires in winter, a dry time of year in Takamatsu when fires are frequent.
This is what it looked like.
The poor men standing down wind from the ladder trucks! It must have been freezing. They did, however, get a big and well-deserved round of applause.
My Profile
Cathy Hirano キャシー ヒラノ
I've lived in Japan since 1978. After graduating from a Japanese university with a BA in cultural anthropology in 1983, I worked as a translator in a Japanese consulting engineering firm in Tokyo for several years. My Japanese husband and I moved to Takamatsu in 1987 to raise our two children in a slower-paced environment away from the big city pressures. We've never regretted it. I work as a freelance translator and interpreter and am involved in a lot of community work, including volunteering for Second Hand, a local NGO that supports educational and vocational training initiatives in Cambodia, and for the Takamatsu International Association. I love living in Takamatsu.
Cathy Hirano キャシー ヒラノ
I've lived in Japan since 1978. After graduating from a Japanese university with a BA in cultural anthropology in 1983, I worked as a translator in a Japanese consulting engineering firm in Tokyo for several years. My Japanese husband and I moved to Takamatsu in 1987 to raise our two children in a slower-paced environment away from the big city pressures. We've never regretted it. I work as a freelance translator and interpreter and am involved in a lot of community work, including volunteering for Second Hand, a local NGO that supports educational and vocational training initiatives in Cambodia, and for the Takamatsu International Association. I love living in Takamatsu.
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