Volcano Ash Fall-Out in Homes and Neighborhoods

By Eric Vanderham

Avoiding ash fallout from volcanos is all but impossible especially for those living anywhere from several miles away to several hundred miles away. I remember when Mt. St. Helen's erupted in Washington state, the ash fallout was seen all the way over on the east side in South Carolina. It affected multiple states. It can affect our respiratory system, the contents in our home and other buildings, vehicles, not to mention making driving nearly impossible due to road slickness.

Utility stations such as power plants may be closed in order to avoid the risk of damage to the facility. Any movement for several months later can stir ash that has not been cleaned up. It can definitely be your worst nightmare for living conditions, and minimally, can be a severe nuisance for those geographically remote from the volcano.

The neighborhoods we live in have to plan a group effort in cleaning up the town or city properly. Everyone needs to do their part. The electronics we so heavily depend on, such as computers and other prized machines, need to be carefully packaged prior to a volcano eruption in order to seal them effectively in air-tight containers such as Rubber-Maid bins. Flimsy plastic bags are not going to be enough protection for these items. Use duct tape to seal the bins even more thoroughly. And hopefully you have the forethought to purchase household insurance, as there is the high possiibility that many of your electronics will be damaged by the ash fallout.

Owning your own home means you will be responsible for cleaning or hiring someone to clean the roof off as soon as you are able, to prevent the town or city from having more ash clean up to deal with later. It also enables you, those in your home and neighborhood, to have safer dwellings, streets and offices more quickly.

As for vehicles " well, lets just say that you should make sure your insurance is covering your vehicle well enough prior to a volcano, because that beautiful 69 Mustang convertible youve been keeping under wraps as a collectors item will require as good a storage location as possible and coverage of its major parts to keep it from being destroyed by ash.

Cleaning ash fallout requires a good vacuum with lots of bags, careful handling and disposal of the bags, and precautions while cleaning various areas. Cleaning outside will require sprinkling the areas initially before shovelling. Be careful not to overload the roof with too much water however, as the weight of the ash and water could result in a roof collapsing. Ash will create other hazards such as slippery roofs, ladders and walkways so proceed with caution.

Ensure all ash is disposed of in heavy duty plastic bags or onto cleanup vehicles provided by the town. Sprinkle the grass or hedges prior to cutting and trimming them.

Find out where the assigned spots for ash disposal are designed by the town or city. Washing or dumping ash into sewer and storm drains will result in long-term problems for the community, water treatment plants and other facilities.

Do not drive unless absolutely necessary. This is why having a lot of supplies at home will be helpful " water, food and necessities to survive. And if you have a flight out, check with the airlines, as they may be cancelled due to damage or slickness of runways.

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