When mount saint helens erupted in 1980...?

Question

What were the long term, medium term and short term responses made by different groups such as the government, aid agencies and local residents?

For example, were people evacuated?

If I'm being to specific then just what were the responses made to the eruption?

Thanks!

Answer 1

People were evacuated thanks in part to the help of young geologist David Johnston.  However, there was a political fight as many businesses felt that a false evacuations would kill the tourism in the small towns.

In fact a red zone was erected where people had limited access and entry was strictly monitored.  

Logging camps did not close and thankfully MSH erupted on a Sunday when the camps were empty or many more people would have died.

In fact MSH is probably the most studied volcanic eruption and a simple search will expand on all the topics that I just touched on.

Check USGS and the MSH National Monument website as starting points.