COUGAR, Wash. – Several Washington agencies will look back on the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens throughout May. There are five active volcanoes scattered across the Evergreen State.
Volcano Program Preparedness Coordinator Brian Terbush hopes that Washingtonians will take the opportunity to consider their emergency preparedness next month.
“We want you to not just look at Mount St. Helens, but remember we have four other active volcanoes in our state – Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, Mount Baker and Glacier Peak,” Terbush said.
According to the Washington Emergency Management Division, volcano eruption preparedness is becoming increasingly important for regions surrounding active mountains.
“Because people are moving into areas near these mountains at a rapid pace, the state’s volcanoes are among the most dangerous in the United States,” the department’s website states.
Several state agencies will offer May programming in remembrance of the deadly Mount St. Helens eruption which killed 57 people.
The emergency management division will host an event featuring scientists and volcanic experts on May 18 at the Science and Learning Center at Coldwater. It will also host a live viewing of the volcano movie Skyfire on May 8, with experts offering their analysis of the film.
Additional official disaster readiness information can be found via the Washington Military Department’s website.
