Learning From Experience - Contingency Plan
Learning From Experience - Contingency Plan
Rabaul, New Guinea. Photo credit: MTU Volcanoes.
- Disaster Preparedness Saves Lives
- In 1984 scientists and community leaders in Rabaul, New Guinea began to prepare for a volcanic eruption. They formed an emergency plan which included:
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- educating the public about the hazards and the warning signs
- posting hazard maps with evacuation routes outlined
- practicing evacuation so that everyone knew where to go and how to best mobilize resources
- In September of 1994, the people began to notice some of the environmental cues they had been warned about. Before officials had even issued a warning, the public began a spontaneous evacuation. As the last people were leaving, the two volcanoes on either side of the town erupted.
- Because the people knew what to watch for and knew how to get to safety, only 3 of 30,000 people died.
- (From IAVCEI:1997.)
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