45 Years After Saint Helens Eruption: Are We Prepared for the Next Disaster?

After the 45th anniversary of the 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens what's next?
What should we be prepared for now? Are you prepared for another eruption?

DID YOU LIVE THROUGH THE ST. HELEN'S ERUPTION?

Sunday, May 18 marked the 45th anniversary of the explosive eruption that is part of the state's history. Today 45-years later officials at the Washington Emergency Management want you to use the anniversary to think about what you would do if another one of our Cascade volcanoes were to erupt. Are you ready for a major disaster? Could you sustain yourself and your family for up to a week without any outside help? The answer for many people is simply, no. That's because a lot of people talk about being prepared but very few actually take the time to put together survival supplies.

ADMIT IT YOU'RE NOT PREPARED?

After the eruption of Mt. St. Helens Yakima was full of ash and that shut down the city. People were told to stay home and not drive because of the concern the ash could damage engines. So let's put together that survival pack. First you' ll need supplies like food, water, a first aid kit, and protective gear like goggles and a N95 mask. That's the basic kit that's sometimes easier to talk about and harder to put together.

COULD MT. ADAMS BE NEXT?

Emergency officials say it's just a matter of time before another Cascadian volcano blows its top and it could be Mt. Adams. State officials recorded a series of earthquakes between September 2024 and January of this year. That's prompted leaders around the state to call for updating evacuation plans for Mt. Adams which is one of the largest Cascade Range volcanoes. According to the Smithsonian Institution the mountain "dominates the the Mount Adams volcanic field in Washington's Skamania, Yakima, Klickitat, and Lewis counties and the Yakima Indian Reservation of S-central Washington."
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