Concerning the policies of prevention of destruction from a volcanic eruption, it is critical to have expertise from volcanologists who have skills in identifying when and how such catastrophes will happen. In recent decades, the theories and methods of understanding how volcanoes work significantly increased. For example, volcanologists frequently use portable seismometers, instruments that record all the minor ground noises and shakings, in the areas near the mountains (Buckner & Whittlesey, 1993). They also use correlation spectrometers to measure the amount of sulfur dioxide (Buckner & Whittlesey, 1993). These whole measures contribute to selecting the appropriate theories for the explanation.
The problem with evacuation issues is that scientists cannot know for sure whether a volcano will erupt or not. They can give only some probabilities, which might be unsatisfying for decision-makers. The groups which were needed to decide during the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo were indigenous tribes and military commanders of US military bases located near the volcano. The chain of command started with scientists from US Geographical Survey who recommended starting evacuation during meetings and ended with decision-makers who created policies and plans about concrete actions (Buckner & Whittlesey, 1993). It ensured evidence-based decision-making to reduce the probability of unprofessional solutions.
Firstly, the groups of scientists responsible for the predictions were right in their warnings. Because of their efforts, the evacuation of Clark Air Base started in full accordance with people’s safety (Buckner & Whittlesey, 1993). In addition, virtually all the people within 15 miles were evacuated before the eruption (Buckner & Whittlesey, 1993). The others side, except scientists, were activists who encouraged indigenous people to evacuate from these places.
Although the scientists warned about the possibility of an eruption, not all the people were evacuated. Thus, there could be more efforts from the federal government to force people to immediate evacuation. Besides, the international community could help financially to people affected by the aftermaths of this catastrophic event. The reason is that many people suffered and died from the results of the blast coupled with the typhoon. These people were far away from the zone of eruption but did not have the resources to combat the catastrophic conditions.
Reference
Buckner, N. & Whittlesey, R. (1993). In the path of a killer volcano: Mt. Pinatubo [Film]. Nova.