A New Local FM Broadcasting Station opened in the Ofunato City Hall
‘Ofunato Saigai FM’ started broadcasting useful living information for victims
Great East Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Disaster-Report from my stricken home town ‘Ofunato’
Five local volunteer staff engaged in reporting useful living information for victims from the FM broadcasting station at Ofunato City Hall.
‘FM Saigai Ofunato’ opened on the 2nd floor of the Ofunato City Hall and started broadcasting useful living information for tsunami victims. Five local volunteer staff report on living condition, such as recovery of life lines and construction of temporary houses for victims.
Among volunteer staff working for the station, a couple who lost their home by the tsunami are included. ‘We are also a couple of victims therefore we know which information is really necessary for victims.’ Mr. and Mrs. Sato, a victim couple, said with great enthusiasm.
Mr. & Mrs. Sato engaged in as volunteer personalities.
After the earthquake occurred, ‘FM Ohshu’ that is based on Ohshu city in Iwate prefecture offered providing necessary equipments to the city and started broadcasting on Mrach 31. Six staff including five local tsunami victims are working for the FM station. This station broadcasts four times a day in two hours each at 8:00, 11:00, 14:00, and 17:00, mainly based on the necessary living information released from the city. The FM station covers about 15,000 households in the city at a frequency of 78.5 MHz.
A couple of staff, Mr. Ken Sato (36) and his wife Kumiko (36) lost their chiropractic clinic and home by the tsunami. Soon after they felt rolling badly, they rushed out from their clinic in work clothes. Their clinic is only 50 meters far from the sea. They droved out their car from the garage and sent a mail to their daughter by cellophane for picking her up to the car and took refuge to the Ofunato Primary School.
Now they are temporary living in Kumiko’s parents’ house after being lived in the refuge shelter. When one of Kumiko’s friends appealed her to join volunteer activity, she could not make her decision because she was inexperienced in this line of work. ‘I, myself, is one of victims, therefore I will be able to understand what or which information is really needed for victims.’ She finally decided to join volunteer work. Her husband Mr. Ken Sato said with his indelible memory on his lost friend and home. ‘Meanwhile, I would like to go out and cover at the scene and try to report useful and necessary information to the victims to make their living condition better.’
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