Meridian Magazine : : Print

“Preparing for a Volcanic Eruption”
By Carolyn Nicolaysen

At the time of this writing, reports indicate that volcanic ash is falling from a volcanic eruption near Tokyo , and Mount Redoubt, just 106 miles from Anchorage and one of 130 volcanoes in the State of Alaska , is ready to erupt once again. According to the USGS, Mount Redoubt is one of the USA 's most threatening volcanoes. In 1989, a 747 flying hundreds of miles away flew through a cloud of volcanic ash from this volcano and lost power in all four engines. It lost over 9000 ft. of altitude before power was restored.

Being an actor in a true story about volcanoes may be the farthest thing from your mind, but did you know there are dozens of volcanoes in the United States , and volcanoes on every continent? The State of Hawaii is built entirely on volcanic geology. California has several volcanoes, including Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen , and is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc that includes volcanoes in Oregon , Washington State , and British Columbia . Some cities on that arc include Portland , Seattle , and Vancouver . The city of Auckland , New Zealand (population 1.3 million) has within its territory about 50 small volcanoes, not nearly as large or impressive as Mt. Ruapehu and Mt. Egmont to the south, but volcanoes just the same. And so it goes in Japan , Philippines , Indonesia , Chile , Mexico , Italy , East Africa – so many volcanoes.

Next time you plan a vacation, consider this story:

In 1991, friends of ours were then living and working in Hong Kong like over 60,000 other American and British citizens. For one of their vacation holidays, they did as so many others – they headed to a resort town in the Philippines less than 2 hours away by air. The beach resort was fabulous, and the pampered service was legendary. Unfortunately, their resort was not far from the shadow of Mt. Pinatubo , one of the world's great volcanoes. It's eruption that June of 1991 was the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20 th Century, and caught our friends very much by surprise – they had not believed the warnings, because they had heard warnings and felt earthquakes on other trips there.

Instead of a fine and restful outing to the beach with their baby girl, they were stranded with hundreds of other tourists, huddled together in hotel rooms, several families to a room, without adequate food, baby formula, diapers, clean water, a shortage of sanitation supplies, and no way out of the area for over a week. Communications were down. Electricity and running water no longer existed.

Nearby, the Clark Air Base (US) was abandoned. The US Naval base at Subic Bay was evacuated and closed. Wet ash, called “tephra”, was dropped on the entire island of Luzon – because a tropical rainstorm mixing with the ash left a heavy carpet of tephra between 6 and 12 inches thick covering everything, and the weight of it was enough to collapse roofs, even on well-built structures at the high school, and costing the lives of hundreds. The eruption lasted for nine hours and caused many severe earthquakes. Our friends were lucky, and had a good home to finally return to in Hong Kong . Their experience was just an adventure, compared to the unfortunate residents of Luzon , Philippines who spent months digging out and restoring their island.

What is a Volcano?

A volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a reservoir of molten rock. Unlike most mountains, which are pushed up from below the earth's surface, volcanoes are built up by an accumulation of lava and ash from their own eruptions. When pressure from gases within the molten rock becomes too great, an eruption occurs.

When an eruption occurs, poisonous gases, ash, lava, and rocks, are forced into the air. Deaths will occur in the immediate area of a volcano.

Because of their intense heat, lava flows are a great fire hazard. Lava destroys everything in its path, and creates fires when coming near any flammable materials. Fortunately, lava flows move slowly enough that people can usually get out of the way.

The most common cause of death from a volcano is suffocation. When ash is spewed into the air it reduces the oxygen supply available to breathe. Infants, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions such as asthma, emphysema, and other chronic lung diseases are very susceptible to suffocation or lung damage from ash in the air.

Fresh volcanic ash made of pulverized rock, is gritty, abrasive, and can be corrosive. Small ash particles may scratch the eye and cause eye disease. Volcanic ash may also damage machinery, engines, electrical equipment, or anything with moving parts. When ash is mixed with water it becomes very heavy and can collapse roofs, and snap tree branches and power lines. After Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, ash was deposited in 11 states.

Most gases from a volcano quickly blow away. However, heavier gases, such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide may collect in valleys and other low-lying areas. Both of these gases can cause breathing problems in both the healthy and those with impaired respiratory systems.

Although these gases usually blow away quickly, it is possible that people who are close to the volcano, or who are in the low-lying areas downwind, may be exposed to dangerous levels. Those exposed may experience irritations of the eyes, nose, and throat, and experience rapid breathing, headaches, dizziness, swelling and spasm of the throat, and even suffocation.

Volcanic eruptions can result in additional threats to health, even many miles away, such as power outages and food and water contamination. Volcanic eruptions may also be accompanied by other natural disasters such as earthquakes, mud slides, flash floods, rock slides, fires, acid rain, and when a volcano is in or near the ocean, tsunamis.

Active volcanoes in the U.S. are found (as we noted earlier) mainly in Hawaii , Alaska , the Cascade Mountain Range in California , Oregon , and Washington . A mega volcano also exits in Yellowstone National Park . Just as we are aware of the danger of an earthquake in Los Angeles or San Francisco , and prepare for the possibility when we visit those cities, that potential will not keep us from visiting there. Likewise, the threat of a volcanic event will not keep me from visiting Washington or Oregon . We should, however, be informed, stay aware, and be reasonably prepared.

Unlike other disasters, volcanoes do give us a warning that something is about to happen. If there is a warning, heed it and you will be fine.

Before a Volcano Erupts:

Listen to your radio or television until you are told all is safe or you are told to evacuate. Evacuation for a volcano is the same as for any other disaster. (see Meridian article: Prepare to Evacuate )
Close and lock all windows and outside doors. Roll towels and place at the bottom of outside doors. Cover windows with blankets or plastic.
Turn off all heating and air conditioning systems and fans.
Cover vents under the eaves or in the attic.
Cover your dryer vent.
Close the fireplace damper.
Gather emergency supplies, food and water.
Cover windows and vents.
Cover the tops of your drainpipes. If ash becomes wet inside a drainpipe it will become like concrete, next to impossible to remove.
Securely cover dust-sensitive electronics.
Wrap your car in plastic or tarps if you must leave it outside during an eruption.
Plan an evacuation route away from rivers or streams that may carry mud or debris flow.
Keep a battery-operated radio available at all times, with back up batteries.
Monitor the radio or TV for evacuation information. If you are told to evacuate do it immediately. You don't want to be stuck on the road when the eruption occurs.
Prepare a safe room that is above ground and without windows. (see Meridian article: Safe Havens and Safe Rooms)

When told to take shelter:

Go to your safe room and be sure to have emergency supplies including food and N95 face masks with you.
Bring your pets with you, and be sure to bring additional food and water supplies for them.
Call your emergency contact and make them aware of your situation and your plans.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Remove contact lenses.
Use an N95 dust mask or tie a damp cloth over your face to help with breathing.
Stay indoors until the ash has settled unless there is a danger of the roof collapsing.

If a volcano erupts in your area:

You should already have evacuated. If you have not, listen to local authorities for advice. Evacuating once an eruption has occurred may be far worse than riding it out at home – better to be home than getting stuck in your car far from help and home.
If you are advised to get out, be aware of mud flows. The danger from a mud flow increases near streams and rivers and with prolonged rain. They can move faster than you can walk or run. Check carefully before crossing a bridge, and do not cross the bridge if you have any indication that a mud flow may be coming.
Take an evacuation route that avoids valleys and low-lying areas.
Stay away from areas downwind from the volcano to avoid volcanic ash.
Remember the best place to be is at home unless you are told to get out. Driving can stir up volcanic ash that can clog engines, damage moving parts, and disable your vehicle.
If you absolutely have to drive, keep speed down to 35 MPH or slower.
Use your windshield washing solution every time you need to use your windshield wipers.
Ash can be slippery to drive in, so do not follow the car in front of you too closely and when stopping, leave room between you and the car in front in case the driver behind you cannot stop and you are rear ended. Remember, the goal is to keep moving, and you cannot do that if your car is disabled.
If your car stalls, push it off to the side of the road.

After a volcanic eruption:

Do not approach the eruption area. It's tempting to go see the power of a volcano, but it can be life threatening. This seems obvious, but is part of the “Bigger Fool Theory” (which contends that ‘there is always a bigger fool than you').
Be prepared to stay indoors and avoid downwind areas if ash fall is predicted, even if you are dozens of miles away.
Evacuate if advised to do so by authorities. Even though the volcanic action is over there may still be threats to your family. If they tell you to evacuate, do it.
Be aware of stream and river channels when evacuating.
Avoid downed power lines. Electricity can travel in the ground for thirty feet causing death.
Move toward higher ground if mud flows are approaching.
Follow the evacuation signs posted along roads and highways. Be sure you have your map with several routes to your evacuation destination marked.
Travel with your car windows and vents closed.
If you are traveling through an area with ash, wear an N95 mask or wet cloth over your nose and mouth, even when in the car.

Ash can fall hundreds of miles away. If there is ash falls in your area:

Stay inside. Close doors, windows and dampers. Roll towels and place at the bottom of outside doors. Cover windows with blankets or plastic.
When outside, wear an N95 face mask. Remember that these masks may not fit small children properly and can be held more securely in place by tying a damp bandanna over the mask. Masks may make breathing more difficult for people with impaired respiratory systems and children. Keep them indoors as much as possible. Contact your doctor if breathing becomes labored.
Keep pets indoors.
Replace disposable furnace filters or clean permanent furnace filters soon and frequently.
If you wear contact lenses, protect your eyes by wearing glasses or protective goggles, and remove your contacts.
If you find ash in your drinking water, do not drink it.
Have your chimney cleaned before starting a fire.
Clean ash off of electronics you have wrapped before unwrapping.
Clear ash more than three inches deep from flat or low-pitched roofs.
Clean rain gutters often so they don't become clogged.
Clean furniture by using a feather duster or vacuum. Ash will scratch your furniture if rubbed.
Shake ash off all clothing and bedding. Wash all clothing and bedding before wearing.
Leave the ash outdoors by removing outer clothing before entering your home.
Wash ash off cans of food before opening. Ash will clog your drains so if you have much accumulation, rinse things off with a hose in the yard.
Minimize travel.
Change oil and air filters in your automobile frequently, as long as any ash is present in your community.
Outdoors, slightly dampen ash before sweeping and then bag the ash in a plastic bag.
If a pet has ash on them after being outside, brush them off. Do not wash them as the ash will become thick and impossible to remove.
Restrict the movement of outdoor animals such as horses so they are not creating ash dust and breathing it in.
Remove an outdoor pet's or livestock's water source until it is safe to place clean water out for them. Do this as soon as possible.

A few years ago I wrote an article about surviving dust storms. That seemed a topic few would care about or ever need. Within a few months there were severe dust storms in Utah and Arizona . Anyone living or vacationing in those areas needed that information. You may one day be faced with the challenge of dealing with a volcano, like our friends from Hong Kong on a short beach holiday. You never know what the future holds. To be totally ready means being prepared for whatever comes.

If one of your resolutions this year is to improve your food storage, join Carolyn each Monday at www.blog.totallyready.com as she discusses a 52 week plan to help you have your supply by the end of 2009.

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