Takatsuki City Launches Citizen Disaster Preparedness Training at New Crisis Management Center, the City's Disaster Response Command Hub

Takatsuki City will begin operating its Crisis Management Center on April 1, Reiwa 8 (2026), serving as the central command hub for rapid disaster response decisions and directives during emergencies, and as a center for effective disaster preparedness education and training during normal times. Starting July 6 (Mon), the city will launch disaster preparedness training programs for citizens, featuring VR-based disaster simulation experiences, creation of personalized timelines and evacuation maps (My Timeline, My Map), and facility tours to enhance disaster resilience.

To prepare for potential large-scale disasters, Takatsuki City has been developing the Crisis Management Center since fiscal year Reiwa 6 (2024), aiming to serve as a central hub during disasters for centralized monitoring of damage reports and response activities, enabling swift decision-making and command, while also functioning during peacetime as an effective venue for disaster prevention education and training, including VR-based disaster simulations.

The center's design draws on lessons from the Northern Osaka Earthquake that occurred on June 18, Heisei 30 (2018). Designed with frontline staff operations in mind, the facility features a deliberately simple layout that allows flexible adaptation—such as adjusting staff deployment and room configuration—based on the scale and progression of a disaster. During citizen training sessions, the layout can be reconfigured according to participant numbers and training content. The large LED video and audio display system, used during disasters to simultaneously share various types of information within the center, will be repurposed during training to enhance disaster education. Training will also utilize 20 VR goggles provided for immersive simulation experiences.

The citizen disaster preparedness training beginning July 6 (Mon) offers three course options: a VR course allowing participants to use headsets to experience simulated earthquakes, floods, and landslides and learn appropriate preparedness and responses; a workshop course featuring staff lectures and video screenings on accessing disaster information and using hazard maps, followed by creating a "My Timeline" outlining personal actions during disasters and a "My Map" marking safe evacuation routes; and a guided tour course where staff explain the center's roles and functions. Participants can choose the course that interests them most to improve their disaster preparedness. A staff member from the Crisis Management Division said, "We encourage all citizens to visit the Crisis Management Center and work with us step by step to strengthen our collective disaster resilience."

[Overview of Disaster Preparedness Training]

Target: Elementary school students and above (individual participation allowed)

Dates: Starting July 6 (Mon), Reiwa 8 (2026)

Location: Crisis Management Center (6th floor, Takatsuki City Hall General Center)

Fee: Free of charge

Application: Applications open on the 15th of the month two months prior via the city's website. For training sessions from July to September, applications are accepted starting July 1 (Wed).

[Related Website]

Takatsuki City Crisis Management Center Disaster Preparedness Training (Takatsuki City website)

https://www.city.takatsuki.osaka.jp/site/bousai/166866.html