Students at
Kalles Junior High had the opportunity to learn about emergency plans, lava
flows, eruptions, geology, plus a whole lot more following the Puyallup Lahar
Evacuation Exercise on May 17, 2019.
Seven geologists
from the U.S. Geological Survey, Cascades Volcano Observatory; Mount Rainier
National Park; and Washington Emergency Management Division visited more than
200 students in their classrooms to talk about Mount Rainier as a volcano.
Carolyn Driedger serves as a
hydrologist, public information officer, and outreach coordinator at the USGS-Cascades
Volcano Observatory. She was one of the speakers and provided the information
below on the visit and interaction with students.
What topics were covered? There were seven of us from the USGS
Cascades Volcano Observatory; Mount Rainier National Park; and Washington
Emergency Management Division. Each geologist spoke about Mount Rainier as a
beautiful volcano that all of us in the region are privileged to call
our own. With privilege comes responsibility--to know the hazards,
prepare them, and to be ready to respond when told to do so. The scope of
topics ranged from how Mount Rainier formed from lava flows, and how erosional
forces that tear it down, and the hazards the are a result--such as lahars
(volcanic mudflows). We talked about how practicing evacuations and
creating a plan for actions and communications with your family is the way that
millions of people around the world live safely around volcanoes.
What was the purpose of the event? We wanted to provide
background information about lahars and lahar hazards--to lessen the sense of
mystery. What you know about, you can plan for, and with planning and
practice, you can reduce the fear factor and learn to act
rationally. As scientists we get to visit areas around the world
where volcanic eruptions have found communities unprepared. But, we also
get to visit places where hundreds of thousands of people are prepared and live
in complete safety. This encourages us. Still, if we scientists don't
tell people about the volcanoes and the hazards associated with them, what is
the point of studying them?
Did you discuss career paths or
mainly emergency preparedness? Some of us described career paths. We let
students know that there are many ways to make a difference in reducing hazards
from volcanoes and earthquakes. Our society needs people on scientific
career paths studying geology and geophysics, but we also need electronics
technicians, and emergency management specialists, and educators who can teach
in classrooms and for all community members.
Examples of what students
learned? During countless eruptions
over a half-million years, Mount Rainier was constructed by the accumulation of
hundreds of overlapping lava flows. Mount Rainier has erupted on at least
40 occasions during the past 10,000 years. Erosion has also played a role
in the shaping of Mount Rainier--from glacier gouging, landslides, and lahars
(volcanic mudflows). During eruptions, lahars caused by melting of snow
and ice have traveled to great distance (40 miles+) down river valleys leading
away from Mount Rainier. Until a lahar that occurred 5,600 years ago, the
space we call Puyallup today was part of Puget Sound. But, it was filled
in by lahars and the sediment carried by rivers for thousands of years
afterwards. It appears that at least on one occasion when Mount
Rainier was not erupting, a large landslide fell from the west side of
Mount Rainier and flowed as far as the outskirts of Puyallup. Geologists
are virtually certain that Mount Rainier will erupt again and that lahars will
again flow across the Puyallup valley. We talked about this with the students
as an illustration of why it is important to practice lahar evacuations. Safety
during a lahar lies just a mile or two away on high ground--off the valley
floor. Safety is reachable, and drills help people to do so effectively
when a real lahar happens.
What kinds of questions did the
students ask?
Students asked lots of questions about which volcano will erupt next, how
a volcanic reawakening will unfold, and how to stop volcanoes from erupting. As
with so many things in life, we cannot predict which volcano will erupt next,
and can't stop volcanoes from erupting. We can do proper monitoring of the
volcanoes and prepare our society to respond safely during eruptions.
What did they learn from the
Geologists at Mt. Rainier National Park? Mount Rainier is a pretty cool place to visit, and
that the same geologic processes that made that beautiful volcano are the ones
that will tear it down through erosion through the action of glaciers, rivers,
and landslides. A lot of people don't realize that when they visit Mount
Rainier, they are walking over cooled lava flows.
Do you have any publications that may
have been shared with students that day? Yes. we pointed to the location
of publications online Mount Rainier—Living Safely With a Volcano in
Your Backyard https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/fs20083062
; Lahar--River of volcanic mud and debris https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/fs20183024
What does your job as a hydrologist
entail? Hydrologists
study water in all its forms. My job as a hydrologist has focused on
glaciers and small debris flows that happen in glacial valleys (small versions
of lahars). But, you can't study glacier-generated debris flows too much
before recognizing the need to inform people downstream. Now, I spend much
of my time working with public officials and community leaders about these
hazards.
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More
than 8,000 students and staff from twelve schools in the Puyallup valley
successfully evacuated their buildings during the Puyallup Lahar Evacuation Exercise
on May 17 and safely walked a portion of the route they would take during an
actual lahar.
The evacuation
exercise was the culmination of year-long planning between the City of Puyallup
and the Puyallup School District. It was designed to test and improve the city
and school district’s ability to evacuate students and staff from the Puyallup
valley in the event of an incoming lahar from Mount Rainier. Learn
more about the Puyallup Lahar Evacuation Exercise.