Emergency Services Day (Kyuukyuu no Hi)

What Is Emergency Services Day?

September 9th is "Emergency Services Day" (Kyuukyuu no Hi) in Japan. It was established in 1982 by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (now the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) and the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, based on a wordplay: the numbers 9 and 9 can be read "kyuu-kyuu," which sounds like the Japanese word for "emergency." Its aim is to deepen public understanding of emergency services and emergency medical care, and to raise the morale of those who work in the field. The week that includes this day is designated "Emergency Medical Care Week," with first-aid classes, hands-on events, and exhibitions held across Japan.

How Japan's Emergency System Took Shape

Japan's emergency system reached its present form step by step, as call numbers and institutions were put in place.

• The beginnings of "119": When automatic telephone switching began in 1926, the number for reporting fires was "112." Because misconnections were frequent, the last digit was changed in 1927 to "9," which was not then used in exchange codes, creating the number "119."
• The first ambulance teams: 119 began to be used for injured and suddenly ill people in 1936, when an ambulance unit was newly established within the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's fire division.
• The birth of paramedics: The Emergency Life-Saving Technician Act was enacted in 1991, creating the national qualification of "emergency life-saving technician" (paramedic), who performs life-saving procedures under a doctor's instructions.

Why First Aid From Bystanders Matters

To save someone whose heart or breathing has stopped, it is considered important that people who happen to be on the scene (bystanders) call 119, perform chest compressions, and use an AED before the ambulance arrives. An AED gives spoken instructions once its lid is opened or it is switched on, so it is designed to be usable even by people with no medical knowledge.

Trivia About Emergency Services

• The pace of chest compressions: First-aid courses teach people to press the center of the chest hard, fast, and without interruption, at a pace of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
• "#7119": This is the number for the "Emergency Consultation Center" service, where you can ask for advice when you're unsure whether to call an ambulance. It isn't available everywhere, so it's worth checking whether it covers your area.
• Using ambulances appropriately: The number of ambulances is limited. If calls for non-urgent cases increase, ambulances may take longer to reach people who truly need them, so appropriate use is encouraged.
• What to say when calling 119: The first question you'll hear is "Is it a fire or an emergency?" The basic steps are to calmly answer "an emergency," then give the location and describe the person's condition.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Check where the AEDs are at your workplace, near your home, and at stations you use often
• Sign up for a basic life-support course offered by your local fire department
• Go through your first-aid kit and replace expired medicines and old bandages
• Record any chronic conditions, allergies, and emergency contacts in a note or on your smartphone

Knowing What to Do Is the First Step in an Emergency

Sudden illness or injury can happen to anyone, at any time. Let September 9th be a day to check where the nearest AED is, how to report an emergency on 119, and the steps of first aid, and to review how prepared you are to protect yourself and those around you.