Utah needs more investments to protect it from earthquakes | Opinion

In the early hours of March 18, 2020, I was taking a shower when, suddenly, in the middle of the rinse, the tiled walls around me started shaking as the lights went out.

Did a truck crash into my Magna house? Was the heavens upset with my decision to run for public office? Or is it – “big”?

Fortunately, none of the above, but my hometown was actually the epicenter of a 5.7 magnitude earthquake. Unprepared, she struggled in the dark to find a robe and slippers. Stepping on the falling objects, my family and I made our way outside, fearing that the 1957 brick rambler would not withstand the shaking.

My nerves certainly did not. I’ve never needed a blood pressure pill more than that morning.

The area of ​​Magna, the area I represent now, was especially shaken – quite literally – by the weakness of our homes and buildings. While fortunately there was no loss of life, in the hours, days, and weeks that followed we realized the great extent of the economic damage. The earthquake and its aftershocks cost nearly $630 million, not counting the cost of the damage to private residences—many of which were unsupported construction that collapsed and collapsed.

It’s not a question of whether we’ll experience another major earthquake, but when. The 2020 earthquake was a warning to all of us about the real and significant danger that large earthquakes in the future pose to the millions of people who live along the Wasatch Front. According to the state’s Department of Emergency Management, more than 143,000 buildings with unsupported construction are at risk the next time the ground shakes violently.

Many of these structures are schools and other community places that we rely on during emergencies.

The Utah Geological Survey’s Earthquake Probability Working Group recently reported that we have a 43% chance of multiple earthquakes of magnitude 6.75 or greater in the next 50 years, and a higher probability of somewhat smaller but still devastating earthquakes.

Last October, lawmakers learned that a major earthquake along the Wasatch Front could kill thousands of Utahns and leave tens of thousands homeless. Moreover, a major catastrophic earthquake could cause economic damage to the state of more than 30 billion dollars, which could take decades to recover.

In the last legislative session, I sponsored HB100, a bill that would have created the Office of Earthquake Preparedness and Response, and allocate $10 million in funding within the Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management. Leadership within the agency — those who understand significant risks better than most of us — supports the idea of ​​focusing renewed public attention and guiding projects toward resilience and preparedness for future earthquakes.

Unfortunately, the bill was voted on in committee. A number of my legislative colleagues have questioned the need for such an investment for something that seems too big to be fixed. I suppose the “2020 earthquake” didn’t wake everyone up.

When dealing with the massive loss of life and disruption of our economy, this cannot be our response.

To solve this problem, we must adopt a long-term perspective. Even if the next big earthquake is decades away, we can’t be prepared unless we start now. Overcoming the burden of modifying schools and public buildings, while educating private property owners to prepare, will likely cost billions. However, we can’t put the price of knowing our loved ones are safe at home, at school, or at work.

As we reinvest in our roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure, we must also consider earthquake resistance. Emergency and disaster preparedness is an age-old value in Utah — the “Utah Way,” if you will.

But we can only be prepared as a country if we truly understand the serious risks and take action – and that means putting in real money and effort to solve the problem.

It’s time for us to stop getting stuck in the dark, and start planning and preparing to keep ourselves and our communities safe when the next big earthquake strikes.

Rep. Claire Collard is a Democrat who represents Magna in the Utah legislature.

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