When the big earthquake hits Utah, most people know they should drop, cover and hold on. But after the ground stops moving, the next question can seem a little more daunting: What happens now?
After more than 130 minor earthquakes hit the area near Bluffdale in February, it’s a question that may hit closer to home for some residents in Salt Lake County. But as experts stressed emergency preparedness on Thursday in conjunction with the 8th Great Utah ShakeOut — a drill mimicking a 7.0-magnitude earthquake along the Wasatch fault — they worry that’s a question people are not prepared to answer.
“When you look at how many responders we have versus how many people are going to be displaced — because we’re looking at 350,000 people displaced valley wide — there just aren’t enough responders to go around,” said John Flynt, Salt Lake City’s community preparedness coordinator.