Earthquake Readiness
Earthquakes have rattled the Salt Lake Valley in the last week or so, giving us an wakeup call! With a magnitude of 4.0, 3.8 and 3.3, the earthquakes were strong enough to make you jump out of bed, but not nearly big enough to cause damage. However, scientists predict that Utah is due for a massive earthquake any time now.
The Wasatch fault runs 240 miles from southern Idaho to central Utah, with several smaller fault lines running through West Valley, Taylorsville, the East Bench, and the Cottonwood fault line.
With scientists predicting a quake of 6.75 magnitude or greater, it’s likely that all of the smaller fault lines will also slip and quake - causing even greater disruption. In that scenario, they say there would be 2,500 fatalities, 9,300 life threatening injuries, 30,000 more with various injuries, 84,000 families displaced from their homes, and 10,000 buildings would collapse.
Joe Dougherty with the Utah Division of Emergency Management says that state agencies are prepared, but many Utahns are not. He describes what life would be like for us after the quake, "It is going to disrupt everything we rely on, on a daily basis. Utilities will go down," he says, "Sewer systems will be down. Telecommunications will be down. Water could be out for weeks and electricity could be out for days to weeks."
Ridges measuring 1-9 feet deep will be created along the fault lines, and the areas around the Jordan River will experience liquefaction, essentially turning into quicksand. Homes and businesses along the faults, and the Jordan River shoreline, will not survive. They will tilt, sink, or crumble entirely.
FEMA has a massive emergency plan in place when the "big one" hits here. They have thousands of people ready to come to Utah and help us, but that could take a week or more. Not because they aren't ready to leave on a moment’s notice, but because they couldn't get here. Roads could be impassable and airports out of service. Hospitals may or may not be operating, but you might have trouble getting to them. The situation will be dire, and we can only hope it doesn’t hit on a frigid winter night in the middle of a snow storm.
Is your family prepared for such an event? It’s overwhelming to think about all that you might need, but having even a basic 72 Hour Kit will increase the likelihood of your survival.
Which items will be crucial? Having a Grab-N-Go Backpack, or a large sturdy box of supplies in your home will be the best idea. Fill your emergency kits with the following items, at minimum:
Bottled water AND methods of water purification
Lightweight, long lasting food (think: protein powder, granola bars, nuts, jerky, freeze dried fruit and meals, powdered Gatorade, and don’t forget food for your pets!)
Heavy duty work gloves
Medications - Tylenol, Aspirin, Benadryl, Calamine lotion, sunscreen and aloe vera, fiber supplements like Metamucil, Melatonin (because adrenaline will keep you awake at night), any prescription medications, and of course a first aid kit with bandages
Survival knife
Blankets
Extra socks, and a pair of work boots if you can fit them in your kit
Solar powered phone charger and extra charging cords for your phones
Waterproof tarp and plenty of rope
Hand warmers (these are great, because they are compact and will provide a heat source for hours)
Head over to our profile and use the link to download the 72 Hours App to help you get prepared! #72hours #emergencyprep #emergencypreparedness #bugoutbag
https://geology.utah.gov/hazards/earthquakes-faults/
https://www.utah.gov/beready/family/earthquake.html
https://ussc.utah.gov/pages/help.php…
https://ussc.utah.gov/pages/help.php…
