Survival guides · Disasters

Volcanic Ashfall

WHEN TO USE THISAsh is falling or on its way. It's tiny bits of rock and glass, not soft wood ash.

1. Stay in, seal up

   • Windows and doors closed. Damp towels under doors.
   • Heating, AC and fans off — they pull ash in.
   • Cover electronics.
   • Asthma or lung trouble? Keep your inhaler close and stay out of the ash.

2. If you must go out

   • N95 mask, or a damp cloth over your nose and mouth.
   • Goggles or glasses — not contact lenses.
   • Cover your skin.
   • Driving? Slow, headlights on. Ash makes roads slick and can drop visibility to nothing. Can't see? Pull over.

3. Protect your water

   • Cover rain barrels, tanks and wellheads.
   • Store clean water before the ash arrives.
   • Water gritty or tastes odd? Don't drink it.
   • Town water usually stays safe — follow local notices.

4. Clean up — carefully

   • Mask on.
   • Mist it, then sweep. No leaf blowers.
   • Heavy-duty bags. Not down storm drains.
   • Clear the roof early — ash is heavy, and wet ash far heavier. Safely: a roof is slick with it.
   Why

   Wet ash can weigh up to about 10 pounds per square foot per inch — up to 10 tons on a 2,000-square-foot roof — and a few inches can collapse a weak roof. Ash also clogs drains and wears out engines.

Sources: FEMA / Ready.gov Volcano Safety · USGS Volcano Hazards Program

General information to help in an emergency — not a substitute for training or professional care.