[WoodsLandCamo]

Good quick article on Supervolcanos, mainly Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. How a supervolcano can threaten Earth - CNN.com

In summary:

Article states that Yellowstone eruptions have occured around 800,000 years apart. A lot of people think were due for another one, which would choke the jet stream and cover Western US. Article goes on to say the estimates of around 87,000 people would die immediately. In 2004 and 2010, scientists showed where the ground had started to rise and fall, which of course showed activity.

What can you start doing to protect yourself in case something like this happens in your area? As you know the basics of survival, water, food, and shelter, but what extra steps can you prep for? For the ash that the volcano is going to create, I would purchase a good gas mask with multiple filters. How about oxygen/air tanks?

You can observe the activity at this link of the park as well as observe other volcanos in the United States at this link:

USGS: Volcano Hazards Program Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

 

[AnvilIron]

This prep has pivotal distance/time oriented attributes. Obviously, the closer you live to the caldera, the more severe, complex and immediate the impact. I think one of the first prep’s someone can do is to understand the weather and wind patterns of their area and attempt to determine how long they would actually have before ash and debris reaches them. I also think that this is one scenario where bug-out is probably the best first response if at all possible… just don’t be there went stuff starts to fall out of the sky.

Monitoring activity on a regular basis (the link you provided is perfect) is also important for anyone who may face impact within a narrow window (less than 12 hours). Evacuation efforts would more than likely start immediately and at that point it may be already too late to get out. Being alerted of a critical change in stability and being ready to take action (and taking it) could make all the difference.

If bugging out is not in your list of options, installing shelter ventilation pipes from your basement is an important and fairly inexpensive prep. Four inch schedule 80 PVC pipe run out of 2 or 3 casement windows and up to your house soffits or gables with shelter vent ends could provide relatively fresh air. Screw-in caps or slide gates should be fitted at the bottom in case the vents needed to be closed quickly. If you anticipate that the air temperature will be so high that PVC pipe will melt, then bugging in is likely not really an option. Without a renewable air supply, a well sealed house could become an airless tomb.

Lots of plastic sheet and duct tape are a must. Be aware that ash is heavy and caustic, especially when wet. Your structure must be able to carry the accumulated weight. Any fine dust in your building interior must be managed. It will be very destructive when hydrated by general atmospheric humidity or the moist membranes of your body. A clean room between the outside and interior space should be established to facilitate coming and going with minimal impact on living space. Two barriers would be best… one at all exterior walls and a second enclosing your most interior living space.

Beyond that, general hazmat preps and gear should be adequate. Depending on local winds and ground-level air flow, hazardous gases and vapors could present significant health issues. O2 (Canary monitors), CO2 and smoke (particulate density) detectors can be very valuable for proving air quality alerts.

 

[fedorthedog]

I live in SW Washington, I was not here for it but we received a significant ash dump from St Helens in 1980. Some of the lessons I have been told it you will need air filters for your car. They put nylons over the intake to help filter the ask. The ash turns to cement when water is added so shovel or broom to get it off of the roof and car. The farms had a great corn crop the next year after the ash was tilled in but it ate up the shears and tines of the equipment and fouled bears FYI.

 

[AnvilIron]

This is a site that I keep in my personal 'World Watch' favorites folder:

Earthquake Report

It helps provide perspective of the big picture of global seismic activity, including volcanoes.

Yellowstone volcano cams:

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/yellowstone/yellowstone_multimedia_10.html

 

[nadja]

Jellystone Nat. Park. Well, from all the doc channels, and reports I have read, not many people would survive this one. The immediate area is figured out to be about 500 miles. Even here in N.E. Arizona, we are at the outer fringes of it. Planes would not be able to fly at all, and the ash from the caldera would fill the skies all around the globe. My solar wouldn't even work. As a retired framer, I can tell you, that there are not many roofs in residential areas that could withstand the ash. Delivery trucks and trains would not be able to run for weeks if not months. Duration is supposed to be at least two years or more. That would also mean that gardens would not be good. Grass for cattle etc dead. According the the doc's I have watched, the world pop would be knocked in the dirt.

 

[Irish]

Yep its flee to the south at best bet for me if it goes up

 

[Deltafox692]

I have a good freind that just lives 10 miles from there. I live about 500miles from there.