05-02-2018, 03:01 AM
I watched Mt. Saint Helens blow from my childhood home and dealt with the aftermath living in an ash fallout area. This post isn't really about lava because the only thing you can do in that situation is evacuate.
I don't know how much ash Hawaii volcanoes create but it is unpleasant to deal with. I think the quantity of ash is dependent on the type of eruption that occurs, but ash plumes and their fallout can extend hundreds or even thousands of miles away from the volcano, so don't think you are "safe" if you live 50 miles away from the volcano. You might actually get more fallout than somebody right next to it depending on how the wind blows. I do think that Hawaii volcanoes are associated with little ash fallout, but it doesn't take much to ruin your day.
First thing on the checklist should be to know how to quickly disconnect your catchment tank from the roof. If you don't know how, you can take a machete to your downspouts in an emergency. Unless you have a solid cover, and most of us don't, you may want to have a plan like a tarp that can be thrown over the tank itself to keep the ash from falling into your water supply directly. But be careful that the ash load doesn't weight down your tank and cause the side to burst. I don't think the ash makes the water unsafe to drink, but it will cause a mess and might even damage your pump and certainly clog your filters.
Some of us live in unpermitted situations where snow loads etc weren't taken into consideration during construction. If the ash fallout is significant, you may need a method to remove it from your roof to keep it from collapsing. Likewise, electrical conduit tarp structures won't stand up.
Volcanic ash is very sharp. If you run your windshield wipers during an ash fallout, it will scratch and ruin the glass. The only way to remove it without damaging your windshield is with water. If we ran to the store etc during the fallout, we had to take a 5 gallon bucket of water with us to clear off the windshield for the drive home. The same can be said for your solar panels. Rinse, never brush or try to sweep off the ash.
The ash is equally dangerous to the inside of your lungs. If you have to work in an ash fallout you will need some way to filter the air you breathe, even if its just a crude handkerchief over your mouth and nose. If you are close to the eruption, the ash might be very hot, and you will want a long sleeve shirt, a makeshift scarf, and other protective wear.
Driving in an ash fallout clogs an air filter and causes the car to stall. After St. Helens the stores quickly sold out of air filters. People kept their cars running by blowing the filters out with compressed air. Others just removed the filters completely and dealt with the fact that their engines were getting messed up.
Ash fallout can also cause lightning. It can also block out the sun.
Aircraft cannot fly in ash fallouts, expect disruption to the supply chain, and suspension of medical air evacuations during a fallout.
Volcanic eruptions are frequently associated with large earthquakes. Large earthquakes are frequently associated with tsunamis. All of these natural disasters are associated with loss of power, loss of basic services, clogged roadways, and overwhelmed responders. You should take the same precautions that you would when a large hurricane or tsunami is approaching. Have cash and medicine on hand, be prepared to evacuate, and know how to deal with ash fallout if you are sheltering in place. A great deal of our power is produced in areas prone to eruption damage. A lack of power could last a long time, and your solar panels won't help you if they are covered in ash.
I don't know how much ash Hawaii volcanoes create but it is unpleasant to deal with. I think the quantity of ash is dependent on the type of eruption that occurs, but ash plumes and their fallout can extend hundreds or even thousands of miles away from the volcano, so don't think you are "safe" if you live 50 miles away from the volcano. You might actually get more fallout than somebody right next to it depending on how the wind blows. I do think that Hawaii volcanoes are associated with little ash fallout, but it doesn't take much to ruin your day.
First thing on the checklist should be to know how to quickly disconnect your catchment tank from the roof. If you don't know how, you can take a machete to your downspouts in an emergency. Unless you have a solid cover, and most of us don't, you may want to have a plan like a tarp that can be thrown over the tank itself to keep the ash from falling into your water supply directly. But be careful that the ash load doesn't weight down your tank and cause the side to burst. I don't think the ash makes the water unsafe to drink, but it will cause a mess and might even damage your pump and certainly clog your filters.
Some of us live in unpermitted situations where snow loads etc weren't taken into consideration during construction. If the ash fallout is significant, you may need a method to remove it from your roof to keep it from collapsing. Likewise, electrical conduit tarp structures won't stand up.
Volcanic ash is very sharp. If you run your windshield wipers during an ash fallout, it will scratch and ruin the glass. The only way to remove it without damaging your windshield is with water. If we ran to the store etc during the fallout, we had to take a 5 gallon bucket of water with us to clear off the windshield for the drive home. The same can be said for your solar panels. Rinse, never brush or try to sweep off the ash.
The ash is equally dangerous to the inside of your lungs. If you have to work in an ash fallout you will need some way to filter the air you breathe, even if its just a crude handkerchief over your mouth and nose. If you are close to the eruption, the ash might be very hot, and you will want a long sleeve shirt, a makeshift scarf, and other protective wear.
Driving in an ash fallout clogs an air filter and causes the car to stall. After St. Helens the stores quickly sold out of air filters. People kept their cars running by blowing the filters out with compressed air. Others just removed the filters completely and dealt with the fact that their engines were getting messed up.
Ash fallout can also cause lightning. It can also block out the sun.
Aircraft cannot fly in ash fallouts, expect disruption to the supply chain, and suspension of medical air evacuations during a fallout.
Volcanic eruptions are frequently associated with large earthquakes. Large earthquakes are frequently associated with tsunamis. All of these natural disasters are associated with loss of power, loss of basic services, clogged roadways, and overwhelmed responders. You should take the same precautions that you would when a large hurricane or tsunami is approaching. Have cash and medicine on hand, be prepared to evacuate, and know how to deal with ash fallout if you are sheltering in place. A great deal of our power is produced in areas prone to eruption damage. A lack of power could last a long time, and your solar panels won't help you if they are covered in ash.