Lava PTSD

[Punaperson]

Is anyone else experiencing flashes of PTSD while watching the film of the lava eruption on La Palma ?

The eruption in Iceland, probably because it moved over empty areas, didn't seem to cause the same strong upwelling of emotion.

Watching the La Palma homes covered and burned, and seeing the people whose lives have been forever changed, too closely echoes what we went through.  The 30 foot wall of a'a inching forward towards someone's home is something I had hoped to never see again.

[kalianna]

I know what you mean. I started watching some of the footage but turned it off almost immediately.

[AaronM]

I haven't looked at it. I've seen enough lava for one lifetime.

[eightfingers2.0]

No PTSD, but it sure brought back memories!

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

For future reference:

One video provided by local firefighters Bomberos Gran Canaria showed how they were trying to redirect the lava flow in Todoque by digging a path with heavy machinery.

https://theglobalherald.com/news/canary-...residents/


This is a team of brave firefighters trying to redirect lava... "Want to at least try" they say

https://twitter.com/tess3761/status/1440...66441?s=21

[1voyager1]

Quote HoTPE:
...................
'This is a team of brave firefighters trying to redirect lava... "Want to at least try" they say

https://twitter.com/tess3761/status/1440...66441?s=21 


......................

It only shows that people can't remember history:
Kapoho 1960 eruption:

https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/video-his...ii-island/

From about 8 minutes and on: https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/video-his...ii-island/ ; it shows heavy equipment trying to turn the lava flow with little to no effect.
Nothings changed.
EDIT:
As one who has spent much of his life as an adrenaline junkie, I have little pity for, police, firefighters, and  anyone that purposely injects risks into their lives.
They do it for fun even though it usually is hard work and sometimes gets out of hand.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

it shows heavy equipment trying to turn the lava flow with little to no effect.

Yes, that’s true.  I remember.
But not all efforts are successful on the first try.  Edison estimated he tried 1000 times before he got the light bulb design correct.  Dyson made 3000 attempts on his vacuum cleaner.  The only time you can practice on a volcano is when it’s erupting because the event can’t be duplicated beforehand.  If over time redirection techniques were tried in the Canary Islands, Hawaii, Western Samoa, etc, and the details were  recorded, noted, and shared, perhaps at some point in certain situations there might be a measure of success.  Like when the students at HAAS in Pahoa suggested a technique to wrap and protect electric poles.  It worked for some poles.

[kalakoa]

I have PTSD from County mismanagement of the lava response. Does that count?

[1voyager1]

I have PTSD from County mismanagement of the lava response. Does that count?

That's where I got mine, not the eruption itself, or the lava flow either. It'd better count, or I'm symptom free.

[Punaperson]

Yes, you both count, as well as anyone else who feels they qualify.

I realized what was going on for me when I caught myself repeating phrases from that time - 'plume of doom' and 'a cold beer for hot lava' brought a lot of it back.