Natural disaster mitigation (volcanic eruptions)
Peter has been involved in the health aspects of many major volcanic eruptions as adviser to governments or the World Health Organization. His first involvement was following the eruption of Mount St Helens in 1980. Between 1992-2001 he was a member of the UK Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards (DEFRA) and between 1992-2000 he was a member of the UK International Decade for International Disaster Reduction (Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering). Lately, (1995-present) he has been an adviser to the UK Department of Health and Chief Medical Officer, England & Wales, on the Montserrat volcanic crisis. He has been a member of a French/English scientific team sent to evaluate the Nyiragongo eruption, Congo and evaluated the Rabaul, Papua New Guinea eruption for the World Health Organisation.
