During disasters, prompt assessment of evacuation centres and appropriate measures taken based on the assessment are important for protecting local residents' lives and health. To clarify experts' tacit knowledge for improving the management of shelters under disaster, we conducted a questionnaire survey of specialists in disaster management to examine the assessment items to which they accorded top priority. Our results suggest that specialists give highest priority to the number of evacuees, followed by infrastructure and need for medical intervention. Identifying their common views on priorities can be the first step towards taking standard appropriate measures in evacuation centres.
Keywords: Great East Japan Earthquake; disaster management; shelter.