Page 257 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

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Volcano hazard management specific physical environment encountered and
Over the latter decades of the 20th century there crucially be ‘incultured’ to the human environment
(Degg, 1998). Most importantly, the key point
has been a growing interest and understanding taken by this approach is that it:
regarding the risks that volcanoes pose for the
populations around them. As the world population … emphasises the uniqueness of place: Hawai‘i is
has grown, urban growth, particularly in developing not Etna and Iceland is not the Azores.
countries, has led to a greater exposure to volcanic (Chester et al, 2002)
hazards (Chester et al, 2001). The recognition of
this increasing danger has been refocused by the In practical terms it is critical for strong lines of
occurrence of numerous emergencies linked to communication to be established between the
volcanic activity and the subsequent attempts by geoscientists and the emergency managers, and with
civil authorities to lessen the impact of such contacts within the local communities themselves.
eruptions. These efforts have had mixed success, As volcanic events are manifested in complex
from the disasters and major loss of life experienced multiple cycles of raised and lessened activity
around the 1982 eruption of El Chichon, Mexico followed by quiescence, one of the huge demands is
or the 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz, for communications around known active volcanoes
Colombia – to the relatively positive outcome of to remain ongoing and to motivate the populations
responses to eruptions such as 1980 Mt St Helens, at risk even when the public perception might be
USA or 1995–98 Soufrière Hills, Montserrat that there is no danger present (Perry and Godchaux,
(Chester et al, 2002). 2005). Through observation of case studies around
In response to this situation, the General the world, Perry and Godchaux (2005) identify six
Assembly of the United Nations reacted by main guidelines to appreciate when constructing a
declaring the 1990s the International Decade for public education strategy to communicate volcanic
Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR). Driven by hazard management:
this initiative, a whole range of studies were
inspired to review how the risk to populations 1 Stress should be placed not just on ‘awareness’,
living in the vicinity of volcanic hazards could be but the transmission of actions that will ensure
significantly reduced (Chester et al, 2002). Up a greater adoption of protective measures by
until this point, volcanology had addressed these the affected public.
issues primarily from an Earth sciences perspective 2 Communications efforts must not just be
by looking to establish the strength, nature and concentrated in a single campaign or event, but be
periodicity of major eruptive events. Through the longitudinal and repeat the threats and safeguards
concerted focus of the IDNDR, a shift in required to mitigate those circumstances.
approach began to occur through a moving away 3 It is important to ensure education flows
from the pure science ‘dominant’ response to a within an inter-organizational and inter-
more applied approach involving multidisciplinary governmental framework. The local, regional
teams of volcanologists, social scientists, emergency and national levels should be aware of the
planners, local communities and others (Aguirre messages each is presenting. A further factor is
and Ahearn, 2007). for the credibility of local agencies to be
This more integrated and applied methodology ensured by establishing links with other
represents an acknowledgement that hazard organizations that are perceived as having
reduction is dependent not just upon understanding specialist knowledge for specific hazards.
and recognizing the geological processes, but also 4 Messages need to address attitudes towards the
on appreciating the impacts they may have on the adjustments in behaviour or actions that need
socio-cultural and economic fabric of the effected to be taken, rather than solely creating hazard
communities and the broader physical environment. awareness.
Hence, reactions or preparations for volcanic 5 Recognition of the roles that the media can
events should demonstrate sensitivity for the take. Again the emphasis is on long-term as

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