AV Geeks 16mm Lunch 10-8-2024

e hello everybody this is Skip Alzheimer and welcome to the avgeeks lunchtime streaming show or I am directly in the sun um I am at my house and in the front of the house because somebody is mowing um a neighbor is mowing hello everybody this is Skip Alzheimer and welcome to the AV Geeks lunchtime streaming sh um anyway so uh I'm not at the archive and um because we're doing work there and it's uh it's hit or miss so um we'll probably be doing a lot of broadcasting live from other places and so that's what today is uh it's not pre-recorded um we're going to try this and see what happens see if uh the internet collapses behind under our feet but um today's kind of a mixed bag of stuff because of I've been moving equipment around and all that um and so these are a lot of things been working with uh someone who uh related to a lot of National Archives uh stuff and the National Archives is our federal government's repository for documentation in documents related to functions of the government both paper photo sound recordings and film recordings and I'm a big fan of their film recordings because it's a it's all over the place it's really glorious uh to see what pops up and so we're going to start off with an ad kind of a promotional piece for kushman kushman kushman um little three-wheel vehicles and see how useful they are for uh city workers enjoy at a low dollar was using the kushman three-wheel vehicle we've been able to save approximately $100,000 this was done in many ways partially by being able to use the kushman as a satellite bringing them back to the larger vehicle are the Packer itself they have more than paid for themselves one Cush we have found is worth between two and 5 men depending upon the area in which it's used by utilizing the system as a whole we've been able to put every person on a mechanized vehicle in other words we no longer have men walking picking up garbage these are truly Refuge men and as such they have now developed into what I like to refer to as an elite core the compact three-wheel vehicle is also extensively used by Municipal police departments statistics show that one policeman walking his beat or a single meter made could hope to Triple their efficiency and Mobility by traveling in a three-wheeled vehicle the vehicles have proved especially valuable in emergency rescues resuscitator equipment stretchers diving equipment even a large dog can be carried in the handy weathertight box the rear compartment also has space for radio equipment meter Patrol is the primary job of thousands of three-wheel Vehicles they are just small enough to maneuver in crowded areas and park without impeding traffic and where there is a traffic problem the small police vehicle can maneuver well enough to get to the source and unsnarl it [Applause] many departments are using the vehicle for parking control accident investigations and night Patrol and for some reason um there's no soundtrack at the end here um it's just beautiful kushman footage uh what do we think this is 60s based on the cars but oh boy look at that look at that um marking cars with chalk so that they can then go back and see um I remember like wiping the chalk away from my tire when I saw it one time in hope in the hopes that I'd be able to extend my stay uh in a in a parking spot and those are basically in other countries especially like I think the Philippines are called tuck tucks and they sometimes have seats in the back but I think they're great I would get one if um they were easy to uh manipulate um and to be street legal all right so here I am outside in case you missed the intro um let's watch a film about it made by the Navy about the New York fire department enjoy [Music] [Applause] [Music] along the New York City Waterfront smoke and Flames envelop a pier and a large ship the city mobilizes its forces to stop the dangers to human life and [Music] property in the streets of the city itself another large fire rages fire engines race to the scene it is not every day that such fires occur but there is always the possibility in a great City like New York it is a tightly populated city that includes many dwellings and diversified businesses and industries within its 318 square miles of territory many of the buildings are old and are not fireproof to prevent or control any fires with all the skill and tools they can muster is the day and night job of New York's big force of firefighters a force of more than 10,000 men to maintain a firefighting force that can meet the city's needs the fire department has a special school to refresh the knowledge of its veterans and at the same time keep a breast of each and every device of the latest kind that will be useful in their work here a group of veterans receive instruction from a rescue squad the rescue squads include men with medical experience in one sense these men are the Elite of the New York firefighting Force this is because their ranks contain so many experts possessing Divergent skills not only are they specialists at combating smoke or dangerous gases in their jobs of saving human lives and property they are also train to handle some of the most difficult and dangerous rescue assignments mostly they are picked men selected because of their vocational and Technical backgrounds which allow them to tackle any trying task and to improvise if necessary a modern fireman should be familiar with water and hose lines a must therefore is instruction in the newest water throwing equipment here is demonstrated a new water tower firemen learned that directing the nozzle has its scientific side and that some fires require a strong steady stream While others call for a high watery curtain Inside the Fire College a class is learning the use of artificial respirators and modern pull Motors these devices can often save the lives of of persons who have been overcome by smoke or gases in burning buildings the class is composed of Veteran fire officers they make especially good students in learning to use pull motor devices all too often they have tasted smoke and felt its choking breath they know that their lives and the lives of others depend upon their own knowledge the firemen see the usefulness of oxygen first a guinea pig is put to sleep with gas [Music] then oxygen from a tank brings the animal back to life revived and full of pep he is put back in his cage for demonstration on some other days the fire college is the testing ground for every new bit of equipment that the fire department buys here fire hoses are carefully checked to see that they meet the high standards required now the hoses are capped but the water keeps running into them the pressure is steadily Advanced to as high as 600 lb per square in to see if the lines can take it actually in regular use the pressure on the lines rarely goes higher than 200 lb these hoses pass the test at the probationary School fireman trainees go through vigorous physical training each recruit must be in top condition and know all of the bodily tricks normally associated with firefighting a very practical trick is the scaling of walls the recruit learns to cling like a human fly to the sides of buildings going down a roof rope is used though rope is used less commonly by fireman today it is still important as a means of Escape the really rugged side of a fireman's job is the carrying of victims on a ladder strength is required plus steady nerves each recruit goes through the act of being rescued himself where ladders cannot be used a fire net can be the means of rescue the recruit also learns how to carry injured persons away from fire areas at a demonstration fire call board there is instruction in the city's elaborate alarm system there are thousands of fire alarm boxes in New York over 2,000 in the burrow of Manhattan alone and every New York fireman must absolutely understand the complex but thoroughly effective system that runs them included in the fire College are these fascinating relics of the past when fighting a blaze was more a matter for muscles than machines the New York fire department goes back as far far as 1731 and the pieces of ancient equipment are kept carefully polished for the interest and edification they provide the men of the modern Force more education this time for the public in front of New York City Hall fireman demonstrates some new hook and ladder trucks it not only makes an exciting show but also acquaints the public with the job their firemen are doing the equipment they are operating helping to bring the people and their public servants more closely together at the foot of Manhattan Island is held another show which includes a practical test of new equipment again the great telescopic ladders are run up with firemen going to the tops of them but this time they also bring up the hoses a wall of water begins to rise hundreds of tons of it usually involved with the ugly dangerous work of fighting fires the firemen here have a chance to make poetry in [Music] motion in the harbor and along the Waterfront the New York fire department uses the fireboat there are 10 fire companies on the water each company with a fireboat these fireboats are actually large tugs equipped with powerful water pumps by tradition the fireboats always greet new passenger vessels making their Maiden trips to New York with a watery salute but above all the fireboats have a great responsibility in protecting New York's 600m Waterfront covered with valuable warehouses which handle tonnage for ships from all ports of the world well trained well equipped the men of the New York fire department maintain close vigilance on Shore and on the water as able public servants they hold back the dangers of fire from the gateway to [Music] America all right so I've moved over some because uh I I am fair skinned and being in direct sunlight over a period of time uh takes its toll on me and so I get sunburnt like like right here or like right here it's really frustrating so I moved over a little bit so you get to see more trees um is it audacious for me to to show you 16 mm films while sitting outside sure I'd love to figure out a way to just set up a scanner outside and just do it but I I think that that is there's a lot of problems with that maybe one day we'll figure it out um so as I was saying uh we've moved out of the archive space I might go back occasionally um but there's since there's a lot of uh renovation work happening it's um we're we're still kind of in this state of flux so I appreciate your patience and me showing up in different locations um but today we're watching a bunch of National Archive uh films and um this is called A Woman's Place and it's it's wonderfully insulting to women enjoy [Music] [Applause] [Music] along the New York City Waterfront smoke and Flames envelop a pier and a large ship the city mobilizes its forces to stop the dangers to human life and property [Music] Dr Turner drty Turner [Music] I'll see about it oh [Music] Jenny Scott I don't even have a voice in the decision I'm simply the administrator look Bry as I said I didn't expect to be appointed senior surgeon but a woman all I know is that for names were submitted to our board of directors all nationally known surgeons all eminently qualified from what I hear it was a difficult choice but Dr Davidson got the KN I don't suppose the fact that until now we've had no woman on the executive staff had anything to do with it Scott I wouldn't want to accuse you of all people of prejudice if you're Hing Dr Davidson was selected as a token our token woman you're mistaken she's a superb surgeon and a top-notch administrator she comes highly recommended and I expect the staff to cooperate with her in every way well they made their appointment oh finally our new Chief surgeon will be a Dr Davidson Dr DAV Dr Sarah Davidson a woman what's this A a woman as chief of surgery yes that's all right well what do you know about her nothing oh what's so bad about having another woman on this St they'll give you someone to uh trade lipstick with no kidding it's not funny maybe uh maybe Joyce knows something I'll find out oh I will not work under a woman no I just won't they're they're bossy and they're unreasonable and most of their judgments are based on emotion no no no even my husband will testify to that and once more that they just throw their weight around and makes you feel like two s hold on a minute if anyone should have a gripe it's me as Junior surgeon I have to work directly under her and I don't relish taking orders from a female women in medicine are a pain in the neck present company excluded hone anyway I'm a gynecologist and Gynecology and Pediatrics well that's okay after all some female patients do feel more comfortable with a woman doctor but general surgery that's a man's Fe it always has been and always will be thank well stokeley secretary knows a little something about this Davidson and she filled me in as a surgeon she's good maybe the best about 35 single and uh so like I said before that's all right I I don't believe [Music] thanks what with the women's live and the erra I'm never sure anymore whether to open a door for a lady or not oh no big deal and under the circumstances I would have done the same for you uh there were two things I wanted to discuss with you first I spent this morning taking a look at the surgical supplies and there are a couple of brand new forceps on the market I'm partial to and a really great needle holder you don't stock is it uh all right if I requisition them and another thing I'd like to try a new program for the rotation training of surgical nurses I've developed a program that cuts costs and increas in sufficiency at a good 10% and if um if I'm out of line let's talk about it okay your position here gives you that Authority Dr Davidson call me Sarah all right if I call you Bernie Bernie I don't want to cause any problems so Dr davson you're creating problems just by being here I think you should know that if it had been up to me you wouldn't be here at all oh really why is that because you're a woman that's why I know you can't help that and I understand you're a very fine surgeon but don't you understand you're causing waves you can't believe the Flack I'm getting from the rest of the staff Dr turn erer for instance she's already put me on notice that she has no intention of working under a woman oh and uh I think I should tell you that you're going to have to tread pretty softly with Dr Strickland as I said you've got a real problem you're wrong Bernie you said it I am a good surgeon I'm capable of filling this job and that's what counts so um the way I see it if my being a woman's the problem it's their problem not mine well in any event I'll help all I can oh wonderful I um I thought maybe I'd have a little get together at my new apartment on Sunday night could uh you and Mrs Stoke we come we'd be delighted great almost finished nice job doctor we make a good team mhm okay let's get on with the closing I'll suture you tie and cut I want to use 30 steel for the the closing steel wire I prefer number three nylon for a closing Dr Davidson sorry doctor I have this thing about K cystectomies still makes a stronger closing I've done a number of these procedures with Dr Barnes he always used nylon could be suture but it makes it easier sorry doctor it's my responsibility we'll use the wire you pulling rank on me yes doctor I suppose I am hey you look like you could eat Nails wire steel wire what I just finished a procedure with Dr Davidson she insisted on closing with steel wire so it was a cola ectomy it took twice as long all the ends had to be B in I ruined a pair of rubber clo how did it go otherwise okay and removing those stitches guess who's going to get that job you know in the medical journal I read an article that wire or the new metal Clips is preferred procedure and I haven't had the occasion to use them yet but is W really that much trouble I don't know maybe not I guess Dr Davidson just rubs me the wrong way hey you're going to a party aren't you [Music] [Applause] gosh I'm so glad you could come can I offer you some taquitos this guacamole sauce is really special looks good thank you can I offer you something else no thank you you're sure now come on even world renowned physicists have to eat please I'm fine how that seconds no you bet I haven't tasted the likes of these since I lived in Mexico City I didn't know you lived in Mexico mhm do you speak Spanish yes I had to learn and learn in a hurry you see when Scott got ready to begin his medical training all the schools in this country were overcrowded even though his grades and his recommendations were excellent still he kept getting turned down over and over it's got to be Panic time and finally his only choice was to go to medical school in Mexico City eventually I transferred back to the states by the third year my class really thinned out near the usual dropouts the yo-yos who couldn't hack it and the dames who only enroll as a joke or to find a husband and once they did they left had babies what a waste in the medical school that I went to uh we had dropped abouts too the same thing you know some just changed their mind and some couldn't make it but they were evenly divided between uh men and [Music] women I'd say some European countries have the right idea until recently they banned women from medicine entirely after all you know it is a man's feeld sir Julius I am I guess you do have a right to your opinion and I guess there are some occupations where Brawn and physical strength might give man an edge over women but surgery isn't one of them oh my dear I can do anything in a surgical Suite that a man can do and do it equally well well women are inferior you know even the Bible says so the Bible show me just show me where it says that well I can't put my finger on that particular passage right this you bet you can't because it isn't there sir Julius you're one of the most eminent phys in the world and I have nothing but the highest regard for your work but when it comes to 20th century Lifestyles you're living in the Dark Ages I uh I have a an early appointment tomorrow uh come along my dear we'd better leave [Music] well nobody can say the party was a rousing success forget it come on let's clean up this mess huh no don't bother I'll tackle it in the morning no way I'm not going to leave you with all this come on let's just get at it we'll be done in a couple of minutes okay the cream goes in the top shelf of the fridge and the sugar in the cabinets clay what are you you doing knock it off you are one very attractive woman I'm really flattered but what's the bottom line what do you mean I mean um the hospital is teeming with hot little lollipops your own age so uh what do you want from me I'm telling you it's not like that at all uhhuh okay I'll wash you dve okay I um understand you've applied for the residency opening in community hospital ah you bet I'd give anything to land that appointment and uh all you need is a recommendation for me yeah that's right and that accounts for the Casanova bit I'm telling you it's not like that at all even if it was you know it's a c you to get where you're at by not throwing around what you've got know all my life I've had to put up with remarks in innuendos like that and I'm pretty sick of it clay when I was when I was chosen High School Valedictorian I didn't seduce the male teachers and you know when I was accepted at Medical School guess what I didn't sleep with the admissions officer a clay that's not the way it is don't give me that Jaz just take Mrs Bartlett how do you think she got to be nursing supervisor do you think she and Dr Andrews have been playing bridge two nights a week for the past 5 years D it doesn't happen some people lie and some people cheat and others just use what they've got in intelligence talent and sexuality and speaking of sexuality where do you get off pointing a finger at women what was that little bit a minute ago you know if you do get that residency at Community you're going to have to deal with being the handsomest sexiest resident communities ever had truce when it comes to matching wits U I know when I've had it score one for you Doctor you are one smart Broad oh no broad broad he calls me clay go home out chauvinist okay Gynecology Dr Turner's office right I understand I'll tell her bye-bye hi I um really would like to apologize for last evening after sure Julia should not have well I am sorry well it's really all right I got a little hot myself how about lunch oh no I um well uh oh I have um I have a consultation at at um noon and it's some did you forget it was canceled it's rescheduled for Wednesday and the omelet sounds good oh Betty what's the matter hey in the lower back only when I bend over but it's okay it's okay now have you had to check down oh sure it's a pulled muscle probably from plating tulip bul Julius bought a whole bag of them he thinks I enjoy gardening he's still convinced that I'm a frustrated home body are you I don't think that concerns you fny um we're going to be working together if Uh something's bothering you bugging you let's talk about it okay I don't know what you mean you know um when I first came here Bernie stokeley warned me he said there'd be passive resistance what he didn't say is it would be passive resistance that would make mahat Mandi look like an amateur if I'm going to be resented I want to know why I guess you're right I do resent you Sarah no no that's not it I guess if I'm going to be honest with myself I I'd have to admit that it's not you exactly it's it's what you represent when I first chose medicine as a career more than anything else I wanted to be a general surgeon but 25 years ago it was Unthinkable for a woman almost indecent public opinion and the resistance in the profession made it insurmountable no way jealousy that's what it is I'm jealous of you you will come for something I never could it's hard to forgive you for that oh but Betty don't you see it wasn't you it's just the difference in time nowadays women can do anything they're capable of doing well sure I'm proud of being a surgeon but it doesn't make any difference whether I'm a man or a woman I want to be respected as a [Music] doctor I want to be liked as a person [Music] now that was fun let's do it again how about next week wonderful I'd love to bye what is this m deection or dereliction to Dy worse 5:30 dinner time for the patients you don't get far trying to make rounds dodging food carts in the car I just sit and waited out me too I was on my way to room for2 to remove some stitches but she'll just have to wait until after they take her tray up speaking of stitches guess who did it again who Dr Davids who else what's she done this time her and her wire closings and another thing she delayed surgery on the Connor's kid this morning morning until the O temperature was raised we didn't get started till 8:30 I heard about it just a precaution Scotch she's going by the book you know he posses greater in youngsters during surgery but it doesn't make that much difference maybe not but in the O she's the boss hi hello Sarah uh Mrs Blake's temperature is up just a little I'd say it's an allergy to the uh anesthesia but let's watch okay Dr sahav 691 Dr sah Davids Dr Davidson I'll be right there boy what a waste she is some dish but you got to give her one thing she's really on the ball I will never get used to working with a woman not as my Superior not as an e it GRS on me it makes me uncomfortable I don't like it and I never will I like her to tell you the truth I don't know how I feel about her but one thing is for sure women doing any job they're capable of doing it's the coming thing if you ask me it's already here and we'd better get used to [Music] [Music] it it's almost like a pilot for a um new TV drama um woman Chief surgeon or or Miz Miz Chief surgeon is maybe that's what we would call it um excuse me I have other films that have that kind of same type of vibe uh that were made by the federal government or from the federal government and uh yeah they all have that that TV that 70s TV feel even though that was 1979 all right um this is something some of you uh weren't alive when this happened but this was a big deal back in the day and it's still kind of a big deal if you're in that area this is a film about Mount St Helens does anybody remember that when it erupted was anybody on the west coast when that happened um this is uh wait a minute that's not right hold on yeah I had to change this uh anyways Mount St hens enjoy right [Music] mom look at all these poor trees I know this used to be a beautiful Green Forest everything looks so dead around here well if you look a little closer you'll see there's really lots of living things I bet it used to be pretty here it was beautiful Mount St Helens a 9,677 ft sleeping volcano n l in the wild abundance of the gford pincho National Forest in Southwest Washington before it began to awake from its Slumber in March 1980 Mount St Helens was indeed surrounded by beautiful Bountiful forests and lakes and streams [Music] from the summit the views were breathtaking below lay Spirit Lake and in the distance Mount rineer the natural setting was a recreational Haven for campers hikers [Music] picnickers thousands of children had their first camping and boating experiences on Spirit Lake at the YMCA's Camp Mian and other youth [Music] camps Forest Service campgrounds like bear Cove Cedar Creek and donnibrook provided an inspirational setting for those who would venture into this postcard world though a sleeping volcano Mount St Helens was active many times in the history of the area so much so that early Native Americans called it Fire Mountain big eruptions were seen as late as the mid 1800s then the mountain seemed to go back to sleep again we are directly over M St ens right now and there is no question at all that the volcanic activity has begun you can see smoke and Ash pouring from the top of the mountain especially on the north side of the mountain March 27th 1980 following a series of earthquakes Under the Mountain during the previous week Mount St Helens began to wake up a 250 ft wide crater opened spewing Ash and steam it came as no surprise to geologists who had predicted two years earlier that Mount St Helens would erupt before the end of the century volcano experts from the government the University of Washington and elsewhere rushed in with electronic equipment to measure the slightest twinge 845 and a young scientist David Johnston of the US GE ological survey predicted a series of events which would later prove to be incredibly accurate in the initial phases we'd see probably very large eruptions that would extend High into the air this would spread Ash over large areas in western Washington maybe possibly in an extreme case even farther east uh in the near near flanks of the volcano there would be more damage done by possibly hot Avalanches parastic flows farther Downstream we could see mud flows and floods because this is such a symmetrical volcano and because the crater is so high if there's an explosion it's probable that the debris the the very hot incandescent Ash that would come down could come down all sides but right now there's a very great Hazard due to the fact that the glacier is breaking up on this side of the volcano on the North side and that could produce a very large Avalanche Hazard by early April the crater had expanded to, 1500 ft wide and continued to grow the forest service had already closed portions of the gford pincho national forest surrounding the volcano those having homes lodges or camps in the area were urged to leave using a donated helicopter and a large Dropbox The Operators of the Spirit Lake Youth Camp began hauling out most were taking the warnings seriously still others were not impressed with the warnings he you don't mind working in the shadow of the mountain then no not at all I'm nothing to be scared of more danger one of them trees falling on the backside and his mountain of exploding for 83-year-old Harry Truman operator of St Helen's Lodge on Spirit Lake the warnings fell on deaf ears he wasn't moving anywhere that's my life Spirit Lake and Mount St held is my life folks I've lived there 50 years it's a part of me that mountain on that lake is a part of tuman and I'm a part of it [Music] Sunday morning May 18th 1980 it was like any other morning for a forest service tree planting crew on the lower Southern flank of the mountain until 8:32 a.m. a [Music] m head it seemed to happen in an instant the whole top of the mountain tons of Ash Rock and Ice rocket into the stratosphere the cloud reached some 15 miles up into the sky the sight was spectacular as most of you already know we had a major eruption occurring at 8:32 approximately this morning on Mount St Helens it does appear that the Northwest flank of the mountain seems to be gone we they have indicated there have been some mud flows that come down the southeast flank of the mountain emergency procedures have been put into effect at 10:15 this morning the cetz county reported that a 12ft wall of water was coming down the Tuda River and this was verified by the Washington State Patrol the Raging wall of water caused by the Mel Dice and snow roared through a logging Camp picking up more debris as it went knocking out Bridges cabins and homes get off bridge film this [Music] in a matter of hours the flood surged under the tutle river bridge on Interstate 5 forcing closure of the main arterial between Seattle and Portland entire forests with logs hundreds of years old passed by stunned onlookers eventually the logs and mud reached the Columbia River clogging the river Channel and closing it to Freer traffic but the wind was blowing the ash in a North easterly Direction and at noon it was Pitch Black in much of Central and Eastern Washington and cats FM urges everyone to not panic uh if you want to start getting out some water supp the gritty clouds seem to some like the end of the world the road is closed from here any further east okay this as far east as you can go all over Eastern Washington people and other living things suddenly had to deal with a world full of Ash Ash from a plume that eventually spread around the world for a while roads and highways hundreds of miles away had to be closed due to blowing Ash the ash was everywhere and because it was so light and fine the grit got into everything water simply turned it into a substance with a consistency of wet cement meanwhile the biggest rescue operation in the history of the Northwest was underway involving military helicopter units volunteers and Forest Service employees all coordinated by the county sheriffs look at this it doesn't even look like the same country uh even CH uh it nothing matches the map where's Spirit Lake is that it over there I can't believe I've camped up in this area doesn't look like any place I've ever been before rescue operations lasted for 2 weeks 170 people were brought to safety but 57 were dead or missing geologist David Johnston was at a scientific research station 6 miles Northwest of the mountain Harry Truman was at his lodge neither was ever found okay I think we got a car down here on the left looks like a Japanese car of some type from the perilous vantage point of a still photographer and the actual recorded transmission of a ham radio operator we learned a lot about what actually happened in the first few minutes of the eruption oh I just fell an earthquake good now we've got an eruption down here now we got a big slide coming off the slide is coming off of the West slope uh now we got a whole great big uh eruption out of the crater and we got another opened up on the west side and whole West side Northwest side is sliding down all right we got it boy the whole Northwest section and North section blown up it's coming up over the ridge towards me I'm going to back out of here photographer Gary rosenquist barely escaped radio operator Jerry Martin did not this was not an eruption that spewed molten lava but throughout the day pyroclastic flows of hot gas es Ash and pmus rolled down the mountain at speeds of up to 100 mph searing everything in the way in The Valleys below steaming hot mud flowed over businesses campgrounds roads Bridges [Music] homes the blast had leveled about 40 ,000 Acres of prime Timber The Avalanches of debris rocks mud ice and snow created a massive Natural Dam at one end of Spirit Lake should the dam give way communities Downstream would be threatened by catastrophic flooding to reduce the threat the Army Corps of Engineers first used pumps and later a tunnel to keep the lake at a safe [Music] level on privately owned lands Salvage operations to reclaim the down timber got underway quickly after a careful environmental analysis the forest service allowed Salvage in the National Forest though there have been lesser eruptions several times since May 1980 scientists from the US Geological Survey visit the steaming crater continuing to monitor the change is taking place and as a new Mountain begins to take shape inside the crater in the form of a slowly building Dome of hot lava we're learning more about how volcanoes are formed other researchers from the forest service universities and private research organizations are conducting ongoing research projects in areas affected by the eruption all of them are seeking answers to such questions as how did the eruption affect water plants and Wildlife how can we better predict eruptions what can we learn about the formation of the earth and its soils and how life interacts on the slopes of the mountain scientists such as biologist Jim McMahon found that what looked like a dead environment was really very much alive when I first visited the volcano in the summer of 1980 and looked out at the terrific amount of Destruction I found it almost impossible to believe that plants and animals could survive to my amazement and I think to the amazement of all my colleagues as we began to look more carefully in places that had been leveled by even the most serious impacts of the volcano we were able to find plants and animals that had survived and even if there weren't survivors new migrants coming in from the outside were already beginning to get a foothold one way that a lot of animals survived on the morning of May 18th in 1980 was to be below ground for some animals they not only live below ground but all of the nutrients that they require come from below ground resources a good example of that is the animal that made this m a pocket gopher not only do pocket gophers stay underground and they can survive with the roots and bulbs that were underneath the volcanic material but they actually helped the new plants that are coming in to [Music] reestablish scientists like Joe means of the forest service are studying those processes that allowed many plants and trees to survive the blast and the layer of Ash or tefra here's a Pacific silver fur doing very well after coming out from under the snow pack and under the tefra and some others not doing so well but after they survived the te fall and the hot blast they also had to reach the surface and some of them did like this one that's fairly stiff and some of them did to a limited extent like this one that's still quite bent over and some trees such as this little silver fur here could not you can see he's fairly well stuck no green foliage on his crown in the zone of blown down forests one of the most important sites for survival of plants was on the vertical surfaces of root wads of blown down trees such as you see here here you see some huckleberries which survived the eruption under a snow pack and they were further helped by being on this vertical root wad surface because pmus and Ash did not collect here and smother them the Aquatic systems around Mount St Helens received a variety of impacts from the volcano they range from places like made lake here where on the morning of May 18th the area the surface of the water was covered with ice and snow that help help to insulate the organisms in the water from the effects of the volcanic Fallout the result of that is that fishes and reptiles and amphibians like frogs and salamanders survived in place and have continued to breed even as early as the summer of 1980 not only are plants and animals coming back to the landscape so are people in the first years after the eruption more than a million people have visited the area in fact the volcano has become a major point of interest for visitors from throughout the world the forest service has provided access to various viewpoints inside the blast zone such as this one at Windy Ridge overlooking Spirit Lake right now if we drained all of Spirit Lake we'd have to go down through about 120 ft of mud to get to the top of the old Lake presentations by the forest service describe many of the subtle features of the blast area and provide answers to many a curious visitor where was the Harry Truman Lodge down there there okay Harry Truman's Lodge was right over at the tip of this Ridge right over there the one coming into the water but of course he's was down about 300 ft from where where it is now because he was on the old lake lake line and so it's he's been covered by about 120 ft of mud then the water on top of that to preserve the area around the mountain as a natural wonder Congress and the president declared 110,000 Acres as the Mount St Helen's National volcanic Monument to be managed by the forest service this assures that much of the area where the effects of the eruption are so dramatic will be allowed to recover naturally so that present and future Generations can get a close-up look at the rebuilding processes of nature for those who can't make the trip to the blast zone but who still have Curiosities to satisfy a visitor center has been established near Interstate 5 displays and information are also Prov provided at the forest service information stations on the way into the monument for those who do travel to the blast zone the first impression is one of utter bleakness many are saddened to see an area of such abundant Beauty now transformed into a seeming Wasteland but as the days and years go by what becomes awe inspiring is the rebirth the regrowth the return of Life the beauty that was the attraction for so many before the eruption is returning albeit at Nature's own pace now if we look here what what do we see down in there if we saw fish and there's just life coming back and also look at that there's plants there and there's plants coming back everywhere along with the plants there animals that come back and just like that there's a little frog right there volcanoes are secretive and largely unpredictable Mount St Helens May remain active for months years even centuries but one thing for sure it will continue to change that's the way it is with volcanoes for now we have a landscape in transition a rare opportunity to look into the Earth's window and learn more about our planet and the life that thrives upon it and a chance to Marvel at Nature's persistent ability to heal what seem to be devastating wounds and to rebound and prosper with Abundant Life and beauty [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is May took me to the end to figure out what the title of this film was I had no idea this place in time is what it's called um I visited Mountain St Helens but it was like almost 30 years ago it's been a long time but it was phenomenal it was really uh stunning to see the devastation but then also to see like oh there's green all amongst all that gray Lumber that has fallen um and then Mount St Helens itself looked like a it looked like a big pile of gravel and that there was this kind of it was like at a work site it was very strange and there was a little puff of plume of smoke coming off of it so if you're in that area I recommend it it's really a testament to the earth going like woo and then nature go like yeah okay we'll we'll deal with that um thanks for tuning in today very much appreciate it rich thank you for the uh birthday gift uh Sunday was my birthday and uh so yesterday we had we had a party where we watched a bunch of films about parties and uh yeah and so that money is actually going to go to um uh fundraiser that I'm doing on Facebook uh where sending stuff to the United Way in bunam County which is in Western North Carolina which was hit incredibly hard with a hurricane an actual hurricane they don't normally get hurricanes up in Western North Carolina and so they got more than 30 Ines of rain in some parts of the uh the area so um we're helping however we can but uh thanks for tuning in today we'll be back again tomorrow and we'll watch some more films um I'm not sure where I'm going to be we'll see we'll see what happens but thanks again for tuning in and we will see you tomorrow appreciate your eyeballs and your comments we'll see you soon take care