now its heading for the edge of town where the market is. or it could continue just a little bit north of that and save the whole village however if it crosses the road, we will have a much longer commute into Hilo.

The wind must be blowing just right because tonight I can smell it, its not a nice smell, like burning tires.

River

The video on BIG ISLAND VIDEO NEWS reports on an interesting discussion that the emergency services had with the owner of the Market and gas station.

Obviously, the gas station isn't going to fill its underground gasoline tanks only to have them blown up by hot lava. And more obviously, the gas station never planned to be inundated with lava as a worst case scenario.

That's what many get wring about disaster planning.

So the question is how does the market and gas stone plan?

First off, know the routine - the gas station gets gasoline delivered every two to three (maybe four) days from a tank truck. So their action deadline is three days to empty the tanks normally. However, we all know that empty tanks filled with gasoline vapor are more explosive than filled tanks (it's the vapors that explode and not the liquid) So the gasoline station plans to fill the tanks with water or foam and since one is denser than the other, they can prevent catastrophic destruction from an exploding tank.

And what this results in is a logical, well ordered and calm scenario that the emergency officials and the owner can follow.

There are ways to do this planning that result in calm and thorough plans.

I had to sit in on a planning session at my work that was to decide who got Fire Extinguisher Training and who didn't. Part of this training involved the lessons on the burning kiddie pool of gasoline with a 55 gallon drum in it. The fire spreads around the back of the drum away from the extinguisher so it is particularly challenging. This is a really bad case in any work setting. The decision was that secretaries and certain other individuals should not attempt it or learn it. High heels for one and lack of height and mass to haul around fire extinguishers was another consideration. For some people it was entirely logical that their response to a waste basket fire was to leave the building and on the way out pull the fire alarm. Other people who understood more about fire and had the physical size and heft to get the job done, received very good training to be a responder. Part of that training was when to get the hell out and leave it to the firemen. People mistakenly think that is abandoning the office or the building but with smoke and fire and the various circumstances that can slow people down, saving yourself is the best decision. The worst case scenario is someone's death. Files and equipment can be replaced. Lives cannot.

The same with the response to these lava flows - plan what can be done that is safe and after that get people and important possessions out of the way of the lava.

That's the basis of the thoughts that "If Pele wants her land back, she can take it back" - - People can always move and go elsewhere but the lava is a brute force that flows only downhill in not easily explained ways. The safest and mot prudent action is to get out of its way a few days before it arrives.

As this flow continues to the market and gas station their plan will become tighter, now its more wait and see if it gets 400 yards out, they will be clearing out. Personally I hope it does not take out the market, as its the only one in the area. If it takes out the market it will most likely go across the road as well which means that a 30 minute drive to Pahoa will be a 2 hour drive to Hilo, something I am not looking forward to.

The last time it headed to town the gas station was empty in a day, everybody was gassing up and filling 5 gal cans so I don't think getting the gas out of the big tank will be a problem, as for letting it explode, why not, its not like its going to cause any damage, remember if it explodes its because its being covered by hot lava which is consuming everything in its path.

River

Hawaii officials: Lava on course to hit shopping center with gas station in 7 to 10 days

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/hawaii-la ... 00180.html

Hawaii County Civil Defense Director Darryl Oliveira said Monday the lava is about 1 mile from the shopping center in the small town of Pahoa. The shopping center also contains a supermarket, hardware store and pharmacy.

The supermarket, Malama Market, says it will start moving equipment on Tuesday and will close Thursday.

Oliveira says the gas station would sell its remaining fuel and pump out what's leftover if it has to evacuate. It would then fill its tanks with water and firefighting foam.

Sacrifice an old eunuch. Sacrifice an old eunuch.

It wouldn't hurt and may satisfy Ms. Pele.

Moi

Pass the marshmallows

moi621 (imported) wrote: Tue Dec 16, 2014 8:16 pm Sacrifice an old eunuch. Sacrifice an old eunuch.

It wouldn't hurt and may satisfy Ms. Pele.

Moi, I couldn't agree more! We've all pitched in and bought you a ticket to Hawaii. Riverwind will be waiting for you with a chair and a knife, and a free ride to the summit of the volcano. He won't push you... too hard.

The last jog of lava flow to the north was caused by a sudden change of flow at Pu'u'O'oh (spelling) the main vent for this stream of lava.

That was when the lava reached the "transfer station" and stopped.

Maybe that will happen again and the lava will flow another "path of steepest descent"

Close, its Pu'u'O'o no 'H' The Cap 'O' has a long dash over it but I am not set up for a Hawaiian keyboard.

Yes Losethem, I am already sharpening the knife, but Pele does not really care (the knife can be dull).

Moi, is correct in that the Market, the only one in the area is closing, my roommate and I are getting up early to do that final day of shopping before the lava takes it. We will also need to get gas before it too is gone, however there are two other gas stations in town but no other markets. The Pharmacy closed a couple months back when there insurance could not be renewed. Longs has a pharmacy so I am not sure if it would have stayed in business anyway.

It a shame too because I like that market, its a little higher then if you go into Hilo and they don't have the selection or size of the Safeway but its about an hour round trip closer and in my big truck about quarter tank of gas less.

We live 15 miles the other side of Pahoa so even going into the market is a 30 minute drive, Hilo is over an hour.

The Lava will also take the hardware store the fish market, the Subway, and the urgent care which I have used a couple times, it will take several other businesses that help keep the life of the town going. Given a choice I would have rather seen it go across the first road it tried but there are less homes in the way this time.

Then again it could stop and start over again, its been known to do that.

At any rate its never dull living here, every days an adventure and I can'

Riverwind (imported) wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2014 5:06 pm t think of anyplace I would rather be.

River

This morning we went to Malama market where I spent my life savings on food to carry me through the end of the month and then some, we returned back this evening for gas.

The market was packed, the shelves were just about bare, the gas station closed its doors for good about 6pm tonight, the only thing they had left when we got there was the high test everything else was gone. Like the store everything was shutting down.

The Lava is less then a mile out and heading right to the market, when it goes it will continue down and take all the businesses that support that little market. I do feel for the workers, they are laid off as of Thursday when the market will close its doors for the last time.

I got my last pound of Ahi today as they stopped making it, when I returned this evening that section of the store was dark, workers gone, food gone, just the cleaning woman wiping everything down.

With each $25 purchase they stamped a card, when filled they exchanged it for a $5 gas card which you could use at the gas station, I had saved up $25 dollars worth of gas purchase so my roommate and I filled his little car, it was either that or loose it as both the market and gas station are gone as of end of business today.

I am saddened by this, I liked the little market, friendly people worked there always smiling happy to help you, I will miss it.

River

BIG ISLAND VIDEO NEWS has video of the evacuation of the Pahoa Market Area - the Malama market and the gas station, an Ace Hardware and a tire shop. Plus some smaller businesses. It's sad to hear the people accept their fate but as one said - Pele is coming through.

I thought it might either stop or change directions.