It has passed more than half century after the 1948 Great Fukui Earthquake Disaster. Today, Fukui residents
are in the period of forgetting the earthquake disaster. In order to assess people's consciousness of earthquake
disaster prevention, we made a questionnaire survey to about 400 people living in the Fukui area. Questions
were given with respect to goods , residences, and social activities necessary to prevent and mitigate earthquake
damages. The survey made it clear that : 1. Generally, the goods such as flash lights and batteries are prepared.
The practices such as shut-down of gas , electricity, and water in their residences can be easily done . Fixture and
stabilization of indoor tall furnitures are insufficient. The preparedness relating to social activities is insufficient.
People are not eager to participate in community events for disaster-prevention training , and not so many fami-
lies have discussed about how they have to do at earthquakes. Expensive or time-consuming measures are not
accepted actively , such as to insure against earthquakes and to read manuals for disaster prevention. Measures
familiar and necessary in daily life，are fairly achieved . 2. Among all age groups, teenagers and sixties are most
worried about earthquake and prepare relatively earnestly for disasters. Small , but significant differences in preparedness
and perceptions to earthquake disasters are recognized between residents living in the damaged areas
by Great Fukui Earthquake and residents living in non-damaged areas . The degree of preparedness of disaster
prevention and the worry about earthquake disasters partly depend on the past experience of big earthquakes .
3. School education for disaster prevention might affect the young people's consciousness . 4. Preparedness by
students living in rental accommodations is not enough. This fact indicates that some measures prepared by the
renters themselves are necessary.
Based on these findings , we make a proposal to prevent earthquake disasters as follow: preparedness for
prevention of earthquake disasters should be done as ordinary practices in daily lives , not in a special program.
People should have many chances to take education for disaster prevention. These are important especially in the
period of forgetting past earthquakes
