Volcano Minute — It’s National Preparedness Month, what can you do to prepare?
Detailed Description
The Volcano Minute is a brief audio update about eruptions, earthquakes, or ongoing volcano science in Hawaii, brought to you by scientists and affiliates of the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Details
Sources/Usage
Public Domain.
Transcript
Aloha, it's your weekly Volcano Minute, brought to you by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
As the past year has reminded us, the Hawaiian Island chain can be affected by a range of hazards. These events can strike with little warning — cutting power, closing roads, and disrupting our daily lives. September is National Preparedness Month, so let’s take a minute to talk about a few simple steps that you can take to make a difference in how prepared you are for these hazardous events.
First, learn the hazards where you live and work. Here in Hawaiʻi, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions don’t have a season — they can happen anytime, and impacts like ground cracks, landslides, or even local tsunami can reach far beyond the source. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists closely monitor earthquakes and volcanoes in Hawaii, using the Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code System to share what’s happening on the ground and in the air. You can subscribe to get these messages via the Volcano Notification Service.
Next, make an emergency plan. Consider how communication may be affected during a crisis and sign up to receive messaging from other relevant authoritative organizations. Then, build your emergency supply kit — this is a go‑bag that will keep you and your family self‑sufficient if a hazardous event happens and help takes time to arrive.
Finally, get involved. During disasters, communities are often the first to respond, so talk through your plan with family and neighbors, which will encourage them to also prepare.
Finally, a quick update on Kilauea’s ongoing episodic lava fountaining eruption at the summit. Following episode 54 on August 25th, summit region deformation patterns have been irregular. Forecast models show that the window for episode 55 is between September 7th and 12th, but this window could change as more monitoring data is collected.
Mahalo for listening, I’m Katie Mulliken and this was your weekly volcano minute.