Ruapehu debrief finds eruption 'well-managed'

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 638, 28 May 1996, Page 18

Ruapehu debrief finds eruption 'well-managed'

The 1995. eruption of Mt Ruapehu was well managed, a meeting in Turangi agreed earlier this month. However, while Mt Ruapehu was a well monitored and well managed mountain, the eruption had highlighted a need to fine tune some management practices. Paul Green,' regional conservator for the Tongariro/Taupo Conservancy of the Department of Conservation (DoC) said significant lessons and valuable information had been gained from the eruption but overall the situation had been managed. well. The meeting, held Tuesday 30 April, included representatives from district and regional councils, the police, civil defence, ski field and accommodation operators, the media, Transpower, Tranz Rail, Transit New Zealand, the Army, Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS) and DoC. While other meetings had previously taken place to discuss the wider issues associated with the 1 995 eruption, the Turangi debrief was the first to bring together all the organisations with a specific involvement within Tongariro National Park and its immediate environs at the time. During the eruption, decisions regarding such matters as closure of the ski areas and the possible

evacuation of Whakapapa Village were made by DoC in consensus with ski area managers, the police and civil defence in close consultation with scientists from GNS. This method of shared management was praised by all those who were involved. Although a civil defence emergency was never declared, the meeting was told that the infrastructure had been in place to move quickly had the civil defence status changed. As well, the department had already produced evacuation plans for Whakapapa and Iwikau Villages and the ski area and that evacuation exercises had been held. Mr Green said the process of making shared decisions was helped because the people involved had worked together previously in a variety of forums. It was, he said, important to continue these relationships. Mr Green emphasised that it had been vital to balance the perceived risks, practicalities and potential difficulties when making public safety decisions. Superintendent Alec Waugh from Wanganui Police said that although the management group had at times struggled with 'creative tensions', common sense had always prevailed. Dave Mazey, general manager of Ruapehu Al-

pine Lifts and Angus Grimwade, general manager of Turoa Ski Resort, told the meeting that public safety had been of paramount importance when deciding to close or re-open ski areas. Both organisations had suffered financially during the eruption but Mr Mazey said that in spite of some media' comment to the contrary , commercial operators did not make public safety decisions on the basis of dollars. In summing up the meeting was told that future volcanic hazard decisions could not necessarily be made based on past eruptive events. Mr Green said that DoC had an ongoing role to upgrade and operate the early warning system already in place on Mt Ruapehu and that a consultant had been employed to upgrade and extend the existing system. Already the Dome Shelter and its systems have been repaired and enhanced for the 1996 season.