Where is there a river? creek? lake? or pond? near me? 近所に川や池があったっけ？
“I don’t know my neighborhood well…..”
“My area must have a creek or something because I saw deer…”
“I live near a river, but I don’t know the best place to pick up water.”
“I don’t think I am close to a river or lake…”
“When I have an emergency, I will look for water with my cellphone.”
Do you have a map book? 地図を持ってますか？
In an emergency situation, do not completely rely on your cellphone or the internet. Nowadays, everyone is pushing “paperless this” and “paperless that.” Everyone seems to be “going paperless.” It is a ubiquitous buzzword and an unavoidable trend. But wait a minute. If you’re caught up in a major disaster, you might not be able to connect to the internet. If so, how are you going to check the map? And find a nearby river or pond? Moreover, you might need to evacuate from your home to a safe area; how will you navigate without a map? That means in a disaster, without a data connection, the cellphone maps will be useless. 携帯に頼りっぱなしで大丈夫？電気が使えない時のことを考えて。
When I got a smartphone, I threw away my old, thick map book, so pleased with myself that I was moving toward a dreamy, idealistic, paperless lifestyle… My tidy up job responsibilities helped motivate me to toss my old maps in the garbage. I was so naive. I didn’t consider the emergency situations we might face in the future. I realize now that maps don’t require much space in your home. Save your maps for emergencies, and make space for them.
If you don’t have a map book, you should get one, or at least print out the maps you’ll really need.
And if you have time, you should look them over and mark the rivers, ponds and lakes near you.
Personally, I go hiking most weekends with my kids. I try to keep an eye out for safe places to evacuate, should the need arise. Sometimes the maps don’t tell the truth. あったはずの場所が草だらけになっていたり。
If you don’t have a map book, you should get one, or at least print out the maps you’ll really need. 必ず、地図を買うかプリントアウトしておくか。
For example, sometimes small roads shown on our map will be blocked by trees or thick plant growth, making the way impassable. Or the map will tell us there is a river, but we can not reach the riverbank to pick up water because of a steep cliff. One time, I was shocked, the creek that was supposed to be there had completely dried up. 木が倒れて、道が塞がっていたり。
If you go hiking, please sometimes remember to look out for emergency evacuation sites, and give some thought to which places might be useful in an emergency. And if you don’t normally go hiking, please give it a try; go hiking and think of it like an emergency drill. It’s a good start.
地図にはない現状があったりするので、一度ハイキングがてらチェックしておくことをオススメします。そして、避難場所を見つけておきましょう。
See you next time!