roots earthquake

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Utah Seismic Saety CommisionUtah Division o Emergency ManagementUtah Geological SurveyUniversity o Utah Seismograph StationsStructural Engineers Association o Utah

U.S. Geological SurveyFederal Emergency Management Agency


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Contents

Utah is Earthquake Country ................................................................................1

Utah and the Intermountain West are Seismically Active......................................2

Most o Utahs Populated Area Lies Within an Active Earthquake Belt ...................4

Utah Faces a Dual Earthquake Threatand Earthquakes in

Utah Arent Just a Wasatch Front Problem ...................................... .......................5

The Wasatch Fault .................................................................................................6

Most Earthquake Damage is Caused by Shaking ...................................................8

Earthquakes Also Cause Damage in Other Ways ..................................................10

Response o Buildings to Earthquakes .................................................................12

The ABCs o Seismic Building Codes ....................................................................13

Utahs People, Economy, and Inrastructure Are Increasingly

Vulnerable to a Wasatch Fault Earthquake .............................. ............................14

Your Lie Could Change Unexpectedly in the Next Quake ....................................16

Your Financial Situation Could Be Aected by a Quake ........................................18

The Seven Steps to Earthquake Saety.................................................................20

STEP 1Identiy Potential Hazards in Your Home and Begin to Fix Them ..........22

STEP 2Create a Disaster-Preparedness Plan ..................................... ...............24

STEP 3Prepare Disaster Supply Kits ................................................................25

STEP 4Identiy Your Buildings Potential Weaknesses and Begin to Fix Them ..26

STEP 5Protect Yoursel During Earthquake Shaking........................................28

STEP 6Ater the Earthquake, Check or Injuries and Damage ..........................29

STEP 7When Sae, Continue to Follow Your Disaster-Preparedness Plan ........30

A Review o Money Matters: Financial Impacts o Earthquakes ...........................31

Earthquake Inormation on the Web ...................................................................32

Glossary ..............................................................................................................33

Why Should I Care?Utah is Your Home

Introduction

Why Should I Prepare?Big Quakes will Aect You

What Should I Do?7 Steps to Earthquake Saety

What Else Should I Know?

Utah Seismic Saety Commission, 2008

Salt Lake City, Utah

Any use o trade, product, or rm names in this publicationis or descriptive purposes only and does not implyendorsement by the State o Utah or U.S. Government.

Printed by the Utah Geological Survey, 2008

For additional copies, contact:

Natural Resources Map & Bookstore1594 W. North TempleSalt Lake City, Utah 84116Phone (801) 537-3320 toll-ree (888) UTAH MAPEmail: [email protected]://mapstore.utah.gov

This report and any updates are available at:http://geology.utah.gov/online/pd/eq_handbook.pd

Manuscript approved or publication, October, 2008

This document is adapted rom Caliornia editions oPutting Down Roots in Earthquake Country, originallywritten by Lucy Jones (U.S. Geological Survey [USGS])with later revisions by Mark Benthien (Southern CaliorniaEarthquake Center [SCEC]) and others, rst published bySCEC in 1995 and updated yearly since 2004. The bookletwas rst adapted or the San Francisco Bay Region in 2005by Mary Lou Zoback (USGS) and others, and published bythe USGS. See http://www.earthquakecountry.ino/roots/or all versions.

Disclaimer: The suggestions and illustrations includedin this document are intended to improve earthquakeawareness and preparedness; however, they do notguarantee the saety o an individual or a structure. Thewriters, contributors, and sponsors o this handbook do notassume liability or any injury, death, property damage, orother eect o an earthquake.

Prepared by the Utah Seismic Saety Commission (USSC),Utah Geological Survey (UGS), Utah Division o EmergencyManagement (UDEM), University o Utah SeismographStations (UUSS), and Structural Engineers Association oUtah (SEAU), in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey(USGS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA).

Contributors: UGSGary Christenson, ChristopherDuRoss, Sandra Eldredge, Michael Hylland; UDHSRobertCarey; UUSSWalter Arabasz, Kristine Pankow; SEAUBarry Welliver.

Reviewed by: University o Utah Relu Burlacu, Lee Siegel;USGS Tom Brocher, Anthony Crone, Mark Petersen;FEMADoug Bausch; SCECMark Benthien.

Production, design, and illustration by: Liz Paton andStevie Emerson (UGS) based on template or the SanFrancisco Bay Region version o this handbook by SusanMayeld (USGS).

Other illustrators: Pat Bagley (ront cover and pages 1,15, 18, 22); rom San Francisco Bay Region version o thishandbook (USGS), Todd Connor (pages 22, 23, 29).


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1

Utah is Earthquake CountryThis handbook provides inormation about the threat posed by earthquakes inUtah, particularly along the Wasatch Front, and explains how you can prepare

or, survive, and recover rom these inevitable events. I you live or work inUtah, you need to know why you should be concerned about earthquakes,what you can expect during and ater an earthquake, and what you need to dobeorehand to be sae and protect your property.

Many earthquake-vulnerable homes andbuildings exist in Utah, placing occupants atrisk. The State o Utah reconstructed the StateCapitol Building to preserve a historic buildingand to ensure public saety and continuity

o government in the event o a largeearthquake. (Photo courtesy o UGS, taken onSeptember 24, 2006)

INTRODUCTION

WHAT EARTHQUAKE HAZARD?

Many Utah residents discount the earthquake

hazard based on the near absence o moder-

ate to large earthquakes, particularly along

the Wasatch Front, since pioneer settlement

in 1847. Most people living in Utah today have

not experienced a damaging earthquake in

the state. They are unaware o the long time

intervals between large earthquakes on aults

in the Basin and Range Province (average time

between large earthquakes measured in hun-dreds to many thousands o years, compared

with tens to hundreds o years or parts o the

San Andreas ault in Caliornia). Comparing the

average recurrence interval with the amount o

time since the last large earthquake indicates

that the next large earthquake is becoming in-

creasingly likely on certain parts o the Wasatch

ault (see pages 6 and 7).

Dont be ooled!Myth number 1

Much has been learned about theearthquake threat and vulner-ability in Utah:We know earthquakes occur hereUtah has experienced sixteen earth-quakes greater than magnitude 5.5 since

pioneer settlement in 1847, and geolog-ic studies o Utahs aults indicate a long

history o repeated large earthquakeso magnitude 6.5 and greater prior tosettlement. Utah is not on a boundary

between tectonic plates where mosto the worlds earthquakes occur, but

rather is in the western part o the NorthAmerican plate. However, earthquakes

in Utah are indirectly caused by interac-tions with the Pacic plate along theplate margin on the west coast o the

United States. Also, many small earth-quakes in east-central Utah are induced

by underground coal mining.

We know where earthquakes are likely

to occur and what they can doLarge, damaging earthquakes in Utah

are most likely to occur in a belt thatextends north-south through the

center o the state (page 4), essentiallyollowing Interstate Highway 15, where

there are many active aults capable oproducing earthquakes. Moderate tolarge earthquakes (generally magni-

tude 6 and greater) can kill and injuremany people and cause substantial

damage to buildings, roads, bridges,and utilities.

We know how to reduce losses in

uture large earthquakesMost casualties and economic losses

result rom damage to poorly construct-

ed, older buildings and their unre-strained contents. Improved building

codes are now in orce statewide, someolder buildings have been strengthened,

and steps are being taken to upgradeschools and other critical acilities. Some

Utah residents have secured their homesto better withstand shaking, createdemergency plans and disaster supply

kits, and held home earthquake drills.BUT we have not done enough

to be prepared or the next large

earthquake:Few households have disaster plansI an earthquake occurred right now,where would you go to be sae? I you

are at work and your children are atschool when the earthquake occurs,

how will you get back together?

Few households have disaster

supply kitsYou will likely be on your own without

vital services in the hours and days ol-lowing an earthquake. Are you preparedwith water, ood, rst aid supplies, and

medications?

Few owners have taken steps toretrot their older homesUtah has many houses that predate mod-ern earthquake building codes. Is your

home bolted to its oundation? I youlive in an older building, has it been ret-rotted? Is your water heater strapped?

Could unsecured urniture or objects alland cause injury or damage?


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Utah and theIntermountain Westare Seismically Active

Geologic evidence shows that movement onthe Wasatch ault and other aults in Utah cancause earthquakes o magnitude 6.5 to 7.5, withpotentially catastrophic eects. However, it canbe dicult to use this knowledge to make ussaer in our daily lives. Should we care only i welive along the Wasatch Front, or are other placesin Utah also dangerous?

This section (pages 2-11) describes whereearthquakes occur in Utah and explains howearthquakes will shake the ground and causedamage in other ways, such as liqueaction andlandslides (pages 10 and 11). Technical termsused throughout this pamphlet are explainedin the Glossary (page 33).

Stretching o the Crust Produces Movement on FaultsMost earthquakes occur on aults that orm the boundaries

o Earths tectonic plates. Utah is not on a plate boundary,

but many aults in the state can produce large earthquakes.

Between Utahs Wasatch Range and Caliornias Sierra Nevada,

tectonic orces within the western part o the North American

plate combine with high heat ow rom the underlying mantleto literally stretch the crust in an east-west direction at the rate

o about one-hal inch per year. In response to this stretching,

the rigid crust breaks and shits along aults, and the ault

movement produces earthquakes.

Intermountain Seismic BeltUtah straddles the boundary between the extending Basin

and Range Province to the west and the relatively more stable

Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau to the east. This

boundary coincides with an area o earthquake activity called

the Intermountain Seismic Belt (ISB; page 3). Utahs longest

and most active ault, the Wasatch ault, lies within the ISB.Unortunately, the heavily populated Wasatch Front (Ogden

Salt Lake City Provo urban corridor) and the rapidly growing

St. George and Cedar City areas are also within the ISB, putting

most o Utahs residents at risk.

Sierra NevadaBasin and Range Province Wasatch Range

Crust

Mantle

Upwelling

Heat

San Andreas

Fault(strike-slip fault)

(normal fault)

Wasatch

Fault

Fault Scarp

NORTH AMERICAN PLATE

PACIFIC PLATE

Horizontal extension creates normal aultsStretching, or horizontal extension, o the crust produces a type o dipping (or inclined) ault called a normal ault. The movement onormal aults is characterized by the crust above the ault plane moving down relative to the crust below the ault plane. This up/down

movement diers rom movement on strike-slip aults like the San Andreas in Caliornia, where the crust on one side o the ault slides

horizontally past the crust on the other side. Earthquakes in Utah can be generated by movement on a variety o dierent types o aults,

but the aults that are considered capable o generating large surace-aulting earthquakes are mainly normal aults in and near the

edge o the Basin and Range Province in western and central Utah.

For more inormation go to:http://geology.utah.gov/online/pd/pi-48.pdhttp://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/imw/imw_bnr_aults/

Source: Utah Geological Survey

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WHY SHOULD I CARE?


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Fault scarp ormation

In a large normal-aulting earthquake the amount o verticalmovement on the ault deep in Earths crust is sucient to

rupture and oset the ground surace, producing a steep breakor scarp. Geologic evidence shows that individual prehistoric

earthquakes on the Wasatch ault produced scarps 6 to 12 eethigh. Similar-sized scarps have ormed during historical surace-aulting earthquakes in the region, such as the scarp shown

below, which ormed during the 1983 magnitude 7.3 BorahPeak earthquake in Idaho

(surace aulting has brokenand oset the concrete-

lined ditch in which thepeople are standing). Overtime, repeated movement

on a normal ault eventuallyproduces a mountain range

on the uplited crustal block(or example, the Wasatch

Range) and a valley or basinon the downdropped block

(or example, Salt Lake Val-ley). (Photo courtesy o WalterArabasz)

Surace aulting in Utah

In historical time, Utah has had only one earthquake largeenough to orm a ault scarp. The 1934 magnitude 6.6 Hansel

Valley earthquake was near the threshold magnitude orearthquakes that cause surace rupture, and produced a smallscarp in an unpopulated area north o Great Salt Lake. In Salt

Lake City, 80 miles away, ground shaking rom this earthquakewas strong enough to cause adjacent 6- and 10-story buildings

to sway and batter against each other and clock equipment toshake loose rom the City and County Buildings 12-story clock

tower and crash down through the building. (Photo courtesyo the F.J. Pack Collection, Special Collections Department,

University o Utah Libraries)

SANANDREASFAULT

SierraNevada

CANo

rth

America

n

Plate

Basin

and

Range

Provin

ce

Colorado

Juan

deFu

caPla

te

Plateau

SANANDREASFAULT

SierraNevada

Wasatc

hRangeWASATCH

FAULT

WA

OR

CA NV

ID

AZNM

CO

MT

WY

ND

UTAH

1932

M7.2

1954

M7.2

1915

M7.6

1934

M6.6

1983

M7.3

1959

M7.5

Basin

and

Range

Provin

ce

Intermountain

Seismic Belt

OgdenSalt Lake City

Provo

Moab

Relative movement ofplate boundary fault

General direction of Basin

and Range extension

1934M6.6

Location, year, and magnitude

of large Basin and Range/ISB

surface-faulting earthquakes

Rocky

Mountains

Colorado

Plateau

Snake River Plain

St. George

Area of Intermountain

Seismic Belt (ISB)


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UTAH IS YOUR HOME


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What is UUSS?The University o Utah Seismograph Stations (UUSS)is a research, educational, and public-service entity

that operates a monitoring network o more than

200 regional and urban seismic stations in Utah

and neighboring areas, including the Yellowstone

National Park region. For more inormation about

UUSS, recent earthquakes, and other earthquake

inormation, see http://quake.utah.edu.

Most o UtahsPopulated Area Lies

Within an ActiveEarthquake Belt

Historical quakes o

about magnitude (M) 5.5 and

larger in the Utah region*

1884 M 6 Bear Lake Valley

1887 M 5.5 Kanab

1900 M 5.5 Eureka

1901 M 6.5 Richeld

1902 M 6 Pine Valley

1909 M 6 Hansel Valley

1910 M5.5 Salt Lake City

1914 M 5.5 Ogden

1921 M 6 Elsinore (two events)

1934 M 6.6 Hansel Valley

1959 M 5.7 Utah-Arizona Border

1962 M 5.7 Richmond

1966 M 6.0 Utah-Nevada Border

1975 M 6.0 Utah-Idaho Border

1992 M 5.9 St. George

*sizes o shocks beore 1934 are approximate

Making a home in Utahs

earthquake belt

Distribution osettlements

in Utah in 1877

Source: Atlas o Utah,Weber State College,1981

Earthquakes in the Utah region

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WHY SHOULD I CARE?


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Utah Faces a DualEarthquake Threat

and Earthquakes

in Utah Are Not Just a

Wasatch Front Problem

Threat 2 (time scale o tens o years):

More requent, moderate-size (M 5 to 6.5) earthquakes that do

not cause surace aulting. I they occur under an urban area,

as happened in the 1962 Magna earthquake (see photo below),

considerable damage can result.

Smaller photos: Damage caused by the M 5.7 Richmond (CacheValley) earthquake o 1962 (top) and the M 6 Elsinore, Utah,earthquakes o 1921 (bottom). (Photos courtesy o, respectively, ArielD. Benson, Richmond, Utah, and the F. J. Pack Collection, SpecialCollections Department, University o Utah Libraries)

Threat 1 (time scale o hundreds to thousands o years):

Inrequent, large surace-aulting earthquakes (M 6.5 to 7.5)

on mapped active aults, such as the Wasatch ault.

Large photo: Damage in SaltLake City caused by the M 5.2Magna earthquake o 1962.(Photo courtesy o DeseretNews, Salt Lake City, Utah)

More than 36,000 earthquakes have

occurred in the Utah region since1962. The Wasatch Front is part o a

regional Intermountain Seismic Belt

(map on page 3).

One-hal o the 16 damaging earth-

quakes in Utah o magnitude 5.5

and larger since 1850 have occurred

outside the Wasatch Front area in

central and southwestern Utah.

One o the largest historical earth-quakes in Utah was a damaging

shock o magnitude 6.5 near Rich-

eld in 1901. The Sevier Valley area

between Richeld and Marysvale has

had eight earthquakes o magnitude

5 and larger.

Thousands o mining-induced earth-quakes (as large as magnitude 4.2),

caused by underground coal mining,

have occurred in Carbon, Emery, and

eastern Sevier Counties.

In the Uinta Basin, an earthquake

o magnitude 4.5 in 1977 caused

minor damage north o Duchesne.Earthquakes as large as magnitude

4.9 have been induced by oil and gas

production and other activities in the

Colorado-Utah border region.

Earthquakes occur throughout Utah

5

UTAH IS YOUR HOME


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6

WHY SHOULD I CARE?

The Wasatch Fault

One o the longest and most active normal aults in the

world, the 240-mile-long Wasatch ault extends romMalad City, Idaho, south to Fayette, Utah. The ault is

subdivided into 10 segments, averaging 25 miles inlength; each segment is generally thought to ruptureindependently and is a separate source o large earth-quakes.

Although scientists are unsure about how many small-to moderate-size historical earthquakes can be attrib-uted to slip on the Wasatch ault at depth, the geologic

record shows that numerous large (magnitude 6.5-7.5)surace-aulting earthquakes have taken place on the

Wasatch ault over the past 10,000 years.

A: The Wasatch ault (white arrows) typically extends along the baseo the Wasatch Range, as seen in this view to the east near Mapletonin Utah County. (Photo courtesy o Rod Millar)

A

B

Map showing the Wasatch ault (red line) and other aults (black lines)

in Utah that may be the sources o large earthquakes. Source: Utah

Geological Survey

B: In some areas, the Wasatch ault (white arrows) trends away rom themountain ront, as seen here in this view to the northeast in Salt LakeValley along Highland Drive near 3900 South. (Photo courtesy o RodMillar)

C: At the mouth o Little Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake Valley, theG.K. Gilbert Geologic View Park (yellow arrow) is along the Wasatchault (white arrows). (Photo courtesy o UGS)

C


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7

UTAH IS YOUR HOME

At least 23 large (magnitude ~7) surace-aulting earthquakes haveoccurred on the central segments o the Wasatch ault zone in the past

6500 years, which is an average o an earthquake every 300 years. Themost recent large earthquake on the Wasatch ault took place about 300years ago on the Nephi segment. In the Salt Lake City area, the Wasatch

ault (Salt Lake City segment) has an average recurrence time betweenlarge earthquakes o about 1300 years; however, the last major earthquake

occurred about 1400 years ago. Enough energy has accumulated on theSalt Lake City segment to produce a magnitude 7.0 earthquake.

Geologic inormation or Wasatch ault earthquakes comeslargely rom trenches excavated across ault scarps. Twenty-fve research sites, many o which had more than onetrench, have been investigated on the Wasatch ault. Thesetrench studies provide inormation on the timing and size oprehistoric surace-aulting earthquakes.

Radiocarbon dating o organic debris ound in this trench(excavated in spring 2007) across the northern Webersegment indicates the timing o recent large earthquakes.During each o these earthquakes, the ground surace wasdisplaced vertically about 10 eet. (Photo courtesy of UGS)



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Most EarthquakeDamage is Caused

by Shaking

The intensity o shaking that a

building or structure will experience

during an earthquake is highly

variable, but generally depends on

three main actors:

The magnitude o the earthquake

in general, the larger the quake, the

stronger the shaking and the larger

the area aected.

The distance rom the earthquake

the closer to the source o the earth-

quake, the greater the shaking.

The type o ground material beneath

the structuresoils may ampliy or

deampliy the shaking relative to hard

bedrock.

Seism

icwaves

Thick, soft soil

Bedrock

Consolidated soil

& bedrock

Strong shaking

Light-moderate damageSevere shaking

Moderate-heavy damage

Violent shaking

Heavy damage

Thin, stiff soil

SALT LAKE CITY

WASATCH

FAULT

FAULT

RUPTURE

WASATCH

RANGE

EARTHQUAKE

EPICENTER

Site effect: 12

3

Amplified low-frequency groundmotions (tall buildings affected)

Amplified high-frequency groundmotions (short buildings affected)near Wasatch fault

Bedrock does not amplify orprolong ground motions

1

2

3

AMPLIFICATION OF EARTHQUAKE SHAKING

Simulatedseismograph response:

JordanRiver

Generalized east-west cross section throughthe eastern part o Salt Lake Valley, showing the

response to seismic waves generated during aWasatch ault earthquake. Earthquakes generateseismic waves at a wide variety o requencies, and

certain requency waves may be amplied by local

soil conditions.

In Salt Lake Valley, areas with thick, sot, clayey soil

ampliy low-requency seismic waves, yieldingslow rolling-type shaking that can damage tallbuildings and long-span overpasses.

Areas with thin, sti (e.g., sandy and gravelly) soilover bedrock ampliy high-requency seismic

waves, which yield vigorous ground vibrationsthat cause more damage to short (1-2 story)

buildings, such as houses.

U.S. Geological Survey National Seismic Hazard Map o Utah On this map, the strongest shaking based on long-term orecasts is generally

expected near major aults, such as the Wasatch ault, and in areas o greatest

historical seismicity such as the Intermountain Seismic Belt. Intense shaking can damage even strong modern buildings and their

contents. Much o Utah has a moderate to high likelihood o uture intense shaking.

8

WHY SHOULD I CARE?


Compiled by Utah Geological Survey rom: USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps.


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I-80

2100 S

9400 S

I-215

I-80

5600W

I-15

I-15

I-215

OQUIRRH

WASATCH

MOUNTAINS

RANGE

WestValley

FaultZon

e

Wasatch

Fault

Zone

JordanRiver

Great

SaltL

ake

0

0 10 MILES

10 KILOMETERS

N

high

low Intensityofgroundshaking

For more information:

Wong and others (2002, Utah

Geological Survey Miscellaneous

Publication 02-5)

Latest Quaternaryfaults; ball and bar

on downthrown side

Magnitude or Intensity?

Magnitude is a measure o the energy released in anearthquakea single value that depends on the area o

ault rupture and amount o slip. For example, the 1934Hansel Valley earthquake had a magnitude o 6.6. The

largest expected earthquakes in Utah are magnitude7.0-7.5.

Intensity is a measure o the strength o ground shakingat a particular place, and varies by location, proximity

to the source o the earthquake, and type o materialunderlying the site. The intensity scale ranges rom low

(I) to high (XII). Near the epicenter o the Hansel Valleyearthquake, the intensity reached VIII; however, in SaltLake City, intensity levels were about VI.

Geologic site conditions afect ground shaking This map shows the distribution o dierent soil types in

Salt Lake Valley. The intensity o shaking is infuenced by the type o

materials underlying an area. Deep sediment-lled basins and sot soils such as wet clay

ampliy and prolong low-requency shaking; shallow, stisoils ampliy high-requency shaking.

Map showing levels o strong ground shaking expected in amagnitude 7.0 earthquake on the Salt Lake City segment o theWasatch ault. The strongest ground shaking in Salt Lake Valley likelywill occur adjacent to the Wasatch ault zone.

Strong ground shaking rom a magnitude 7 or greaterearthquake along one o the segments o the Wasatch ault(see map, page 7) will cause major losses. However, we do

not need to wait or these earthquakes to occur to estimatewhat they could do to Wasatch Front communities. Using

the Federal Emergency Management Agencys Hazards U.S.loss-estimation model, we can estimate the extent o uture

damage and take actions now to reduce potential lossesand plan or recovery.

Wasatch ault segment

Building

losses

($ billions)

Displaced

households

Lie-threat-

ening injuries

and atalities

Brigham City 3 14,000 500

Weber 16 57,000 3,000

Salt Lake City 42 150,000 9,000

Provo 14 48,000 3,000

Nephi 1 4,000 200

1300E

Losses estimated or a magnitude 7 earthquake on each o the central

segments o the Wasatch ault (page 7)

9

UTAH IS YOUR HOME


12/36

Although most earthquake damage is causedby shaking, other damaging eects o quakes

can be just as devastating. For example, in the1992 magnitude 5.9 St. George earthquake, thegreatest damage to houses was caused by amassive landslide in Springdale.

(Photo rom U.S. Forest Service

Miscellaneous Publication 907)

10

WHY SHOULD I CARE?

Earthquakes AlsoCause Damage inOther Ways

Earthquakes oten damage roads andbridges, hindering rescue and recoveryeorts and causing accidents. Waterand sewer pipeline breaks can result incontamination o surace and groundwater, and cause sinkholes that under-

mine roads and buildings. Damage tonatural gas and electrical distributionsystems can cause res and majorservice outages. Damage to petroleumpipelines can cause oil spills. The photobelow shows damage to a Santa Monicareeway bridge in Los Angeles in the 1994magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake.This bridge was similar in construction toolder bridges along Utah reeways.

Damaged inrastructure

Earthquake damage can cause releaseso hazardous materials rom reneriesand other chemical storage and distri-bution systems, research and industriallaboratories, manuacturing plants, andrailroad tank cars. The photo aboveshows a train derailment in the 1994Northridge earthquake that releasedsuluric acid rom a tanker car.

Hazardous materials

Earthquakes in urban areas are otenollowed by destructive res because gaslines break, electrical shorts ignite res,damaged water tanks and broken pipes

limit water or reghting, and cloggedroads and collapsed bridges preventaccess or reghters. The photo aboveis an aerial view o Balboa Boulevard inGranada Hills in the 1994 Northridgeearthquake showing street fooding,fames due to a broken natural gas line,and burned homes.

Fires

Dam ailures and seiches

In a large earthquake, ault movementcan break the ground surace, damagingbuildings and other structures. In Utah,the Wasatch ault extends the entirelength o the Wasatch Front throughmany urban neighborhoods. NearHebgen Lake in Montana, the barnshown below was damaged when theRed Canyon ault moved in the 1959Hebgen Lake earthquake.

Surace ault rupture

Earthquakes can make dams ail andgenerate waves (seiches) many eet highthat food shorelines and wash overdams. Hebgen Lake Dam, shown below,

was damaged by ground shaking, andwas also overtopped numerous times aswaves sloshed back and orth in HebgenLake ollowing the 1959 magnitude 7.5earthquake in Montana.

(Los Angeles Times photo by Lacy Atkins )

(Photo courtesy o UGS)

(Photo rom U.S. Forest Service

Miscellaneous Publication 907)

(Los Angeles Times photo by Gail Fisher )


13/36

Surace aulting on normal aults causessubsidence and tilting on the down-dropped side o the ault. The photobelow shows abandonment o the south

shore o Hebgen Lake in the 1959 earth-quake as the lake bed tilted to the northtoward the ault. Flooding may occuralong the east shores o Great Salt Lakeand Utah Lake due to subsidence romearthquakes on the Wasatch ault. (Photo courtesy o Terry A. Humphrey,

U.S. Bureau o Land Management)

(Photo rom U.S. Forest ServiceMiscellaneous Publication 907)

Map Showing Potential Seismic Hazard AreasThis map o northeastern Salt Lake Valley shows areas where a surace-aulting or liqueactionhazard may exist and where site-specic studies addressing the hazards are recommended prior todevelopment. Such special-study-area maps are available at most Wasatch Front county planningdepartments, and many cities have adopted them in their subdivision-approval process.

11

UTAH IS YOUR HOME

Earthquake shaking can cause certaisoils to behave like a liquid and lose theability to support structures. Liqueactiooten causes buried gas and water lineto break. The highest potential or liqueaction is in low-lying areas in saturatedloose, sandy soils and poorly compactedarticial ll. Geologic evidence in Uta

indicates that severe ground deormation caused by liqueaction has occurredduring large prehistoric earthquakes. Thphoto below shows liqueaction-relatedamage to a road at Moss Landing StatBeach on Monterey Bay ollowing th1989 magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta, Calornia, earthquake.

Earthquakes can trigger landslides thadamage roads, buildings, pipelines, another inrastructure. In Springdale, thhome shown below was destroyed whe

a hillside gave way in the 1992 magntude 5.9 St. George earthquake 27 mileto the west.

Landslides

Liqueaction

Tectonic subsidence

One o the most common types olandslides caused by earthquakes arerock alls, triggered by ground shaking

in areas o rock outcrops or loose rockson hillsides. The photo above showsdust clouds created by numerousrock alls along clis near Price in the1988 magnitude 5.3 San Raael Swellearthquake.

Rock all

(Photo by Dan Orange, University o

Caliornia at Santa Cruz)

(Photo courtesy o UGS)

Source: Salt Lake County Planning andDevelopment Services


14/36

WHY SHOULD I PREPARE?

12

Response o Buildingsto Earthquakes

(Photo courtesy o Utah Oce o

Tourism; Frank Jensen)

A buildings skeleton or structure is most important or protectingthe lives and saety o its occupants. But so-called nonstructural

elements such as bookcases, shelves, ceiling tiles, and light xtures

oten all to the foor or hurtle across rooms during earthquakes,injuring and possibly killing occupants. Such problems can be antici-

pated and addressed beore an earthquake. Just as buildings shouldbe designed and braced or earthquakes, nonstructural components

require similar consideration.

In addition to buildings, virtually all structures are susceptible to

damage rom an earthquake. Dams, bridges, pipelines, storagetanks, and roadways are other structures that can be damaged by an

earthquakes orces.

These inrastructure elements are oten taken or granted and onlyater an earthquake are they viewed as critical components, neces-

sary or maintaining our standard o living. The inrastructure we relyupon can be ragile in ways we may not understand until ater it is

damaged or disabled in an earthquake.

Much like an automobile on a winding roadway, buildingssway to the eects o earthquakes. Foundations connect

structures to the ground, and they play a very important rolein determining how much orce a building can resist. Engi-

neers study this critical interace and may choose to cush-ion the eect by using special oundation designs.

The soil underlying buildings is an important ingredient indetermining the eects o earthquakes on structures.

Soft,clayeysoilstendtoincreasethemotionattheground

surfaceandtherebyamplifytheeectsonbuildingsand

structures.

Rockdoesntchangethemotionnearlyasmuchassoil,soshakingismorepredictable.

A buildings conguration and height also play an important

role in determining the eects an earthquake will have on itsperormance.

Squareorrectangularbuildingstypicallyperformbetterthan

irregular-shapedbuildings.

Tallbuildingsrespondbyswayingbackandforth.

Shortstructuresarejarredfromsidetosideastheearthquake

releasesitsforceatthegroundsurface.

The materials rom which a building is constructed help

determine how it perorms during an earthquake.

Steelandwoodareconsideredexibleorductileandtendto

absorbtheenergy.

Concreteandmasonryaremorerigidandcantransfertheground

motiondirectlyintothestructure.

Earthquakes shake buildings rom the ground up, and an

important consideration or perormance is the length otime the ground shakes. The longer the ground shakes, themore likely the structure will be unable to resist the eects.

Building materials can resist temporary overstress, butwhen stretched beyond their limits, will break, much like a

paper clip bent back and orth will eventually break.

Unreinorced Masonry Buildings

One building type o particular concern in Utah is masonry con-

structed without steel reinorcement. Unreinorced masonry

buildings were popular when the state was frst settled andcontinued to be built into the 1970s.

Bricks are created rom clay which is burned in ovens at high

temperatures. This material was both readily available here

and amiliar to the early settlers.

Many residences, in addition to commercial buildings, are

unreinorced masonry buildings and were constructed without

knowledge o how these structures perormed in earthquakes.

Unortunately, experience now shows this is one o the most

dangerous building types and evidence o its poor peror-

mance in earthquakes throughout the world is well docu-

mented.


15/36

BIG QUAKES WILL AFFECT YOU

13

Seismic building codes increase building integrity and help ensure

the uture saety o communities. These codes are designed toprotect lives, but not to ensure buildings are undamaged or usableater an earthquake. Seismic codes are intended to protect people

inside buildings by preventing collapse and allowing sae evacuation.Structures built according to the current code should resist minor

earthquakes undamaged, resist moderate earthquakes without

signicant structural damage, and resist severe earthquakes withoutcollapse.

A moderate earthquake that does not signicantly damage a building

still can seriously hurt or kill people. Buildings contain items such aslight xtures, heating ducts, windows, and suspended ceilings that

can all on people or block escape routes. The exteriors o buildings

also can pose hazards to people walking by or exiting, includingalling bricks, parapets, window glass, or other acades.

Steel-rame tall buildings and

newer wood-rame short buildingsare usually (but not always) the

saest structure types. Exceptionsto these generalizations are due to variables such as the conguration

o the building, the quality o construction and inspection, the design

o connections, and the manner in which seismic waves strike aparticular site.

Building codes provide minimum design and construction

requirements or protecting lives. However, some structures

with high occupancy, critical-response services (re, police,hospitals), and vulnerable populations (schools, nursing homes)

should be built above minimum requirements. Building codesuse importance actors or designing above these minimum

requirements. It also is important to protect utilities and inrastructuresince damage to these critical structures leads to more deaths, larger

economic loss, greater social disruption, and slower response toearthquakes.

The ABCs o SeismicBuilding Codes

Damage to Interstate 5 in 1994 Northridge, Caliornia,

earthquake. (Photo courtesy o FEMA)

The seismic provisions o building codes are

based on earthquake hazard maps (example atright) which show the probabilities o certain

levels o earthquake shaking in particular areas.

The code requirements refect the act thatsome places are more likely than others to have

strong earthquakes. Utah has areas with a highlikelihood o strong earthquakes, similar to

states along the West Coast.

In Utah, seismic codes made substantialimprovements in construction as early as themid-1970s. Buildings constructed prior to

this time may be seismically unsae. However,

buildings constructed in the 1980s wouldalso not be as seismically sae as buildings

constructed under todays seismic codes. Tokeep up with the current state o the art in

seismic design, building codes are revised everythree years to incorporate new knowledge.

Map showing the ground-shaking hazard in the United States.

Source: USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps


16/36


14

Utahs People, Economy, and Inrastructure areIncreasingly Vulnerable to a Wasatch Fault Earthquake

Nearly 80 percent o Utahs populationlives within 15 miles o the Wasatch ault

in the Wasatch Front area.

More than 75 percent o Utahs economy is

concentrated in Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, andWeber countiesabove the Wasatch ault,which projects beneath the developed

Wasatch Front valleys.

Most o Utahs state government acilities

are located within 15 miles o the Wasatch

ault. Major interstate transportation corridors

and the Salt Lake City International Airport

are located within 15 miles o the Wasatchault.

By 2030 the population in the WasatchFront area is projected to grow to 2.8million, a 50 percent increase over 2005.

To meet the needs o the dramaticallygrowing population along the Wasatch

Front, $14.4 billion o new transit and

highway inrastructure is planned over thenext three decades .

The Scenario ShakeMap (let) shows the predicted levels o groundshaking during a magnitude 7.0 earthquake on the Salt Lake Citysegment o the Wasatch ault (see page 32 to learn more aboutShakeMaps). Severe shaking capable o causing moderate to heavydamage will extend beyond Salt Lake Valleyboth northward intoDavis County and southward into Utah County.

Compare the ShakeMap (let) with the map o developed landin the Wasatch Front area (above). Much o the Wasatch Frontspopulation and an extensive part o its built environment willexperience strong to severe shaking when the Wasatch aultunleashes a Big One in Salt Lake Valley.

Earthquake risk (theprobability o loss ordamage) is increasingwith population growthand development.


17/36


15

UTAH ISNT CALIFORNIA

True, Utah is not Caliornia. However, many earthquakes are recorded andlocated each year in the Utah region (page 4)about 800 per year onaverage, excluding mining seismicity. Most o these earthquakes are smalland not elt. Since 1850, 16 damaging shocks o about magnitude 5.5 andlarger have occurred in the Utah region. Caliornia certainly has morewake-up calls, where earthquakes o about magnitude 6.5 and largerthat cause atalities and major structural damage typically occur once ortwice per decade.

Scientifc studies in Utah indicate that Big Ones occur somewhere inthe Wasatch Front area on a time scale o every ew hundreds o years.These are high-energy earthquakes o about magnitude 7. They suddenlydisplace the ground vertically about 10 eet at the ault line. Within tens omiles o the epicenter there is a high potential or major structural damageand casualties. In Utah, many seismically vulnerable buildings increasethe damage potential. On a geologic time table, Utah is due or its next

Big Oneand, unortunately, is a lot like Caliornia in this regard.


How Likely is a Big One*?

Earthquake SourceAnnual

Likelihood

Salt Lake City segment o theWasatch ault

1 in 450to 1 in 1,600

One o the Wasatch aults vecentral segments (Brigham City

to Nephi, page 7)

1 in 300

to 1 in 400

One o 30 active aults in the

Wasatch Front region (page 6)1 in 200

* A large surace-aulting earthquake o about magnitude 7

Sources: Likelihood calculated by the University o UtahSeismograph Stations rom data provided in UGS, USGS,GeoHaz Consultants, and URS Corporation reports.

Reality Check(or comparing to the chance o a Big One

Cause o Death Your Annual Risk

Heart disease 1 in 450

Cancer 1 in 530

Stroke 1 in 2,100

Motor-vehicle accident 1 in 6,500

Source: Centers or Disease Control and Prevention; causes death in the U.S. in 2005.

Average Frequency o Earthquakes* in the...

Wasatch Front Entire Utah Region(see map, page 4)

Magnitude Frequency Frequency

3.0 3 per year 8 per year

4.0 1 every 2 years 1 per year

5.0 1 every 10 years 1 every 5 years



7.0[based on geologic evidence, time scale o

hundreds o years - page 7]

Greater than or equal to* Based on historical record and instrumental monitoring (largest historical shockwas M 6.6 in 1934); excludes oreshocks, atershocks, and human-triggered seismicevents

Source: University o Utah Seismograph Stations

Illustration by Pat Bagley, The Salt Lake Tribune.


18/36


16

Your Lie Could Change Unexpectedly in the Next Quake

Wherewillyourfamilybe?

Your children may be at school,day care, or other activities.

Family members may be at workor commuting.

Pets may run away or be injured.

Will you havemedical services?

The 911 emergency system willlikely be overloaded.

Hospitals and other medicalacilities may be damaged.

Emergency rooms and traumacenters may be overwhelmed.

Assisted living, critical care, andother health services such asdialysis may not be operational.

Pets are not allowed in most emergencyshelters. Do you have a plan to eed andcare or your animals ater an earthquake?

Failure o uorescent light xtures inthe Dawson Elementary School Libraryduring the 1983 Coalinga, Caliornia,earthquake. (Earthquake EngineeringResearch Institute photo)

Will yoube ableto get home?

Road damage andclosures may restrict your

ability to travel by car. Public transportation,

including buses, TRAX,

trains, and airports mayexperience closures or

interruptions in service. Commute times may be

dramatically increased.

This hospital inSylmar, Caliornia, hadto be demolished aterthe 1971 magnitude6.7 San Fernandoearthquake. (Photocourtesy o USGS)

The 1989 magnitude 6.9 LomaPrieta earthquake caused thissection o the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to collapse.(Photo courtesy o USGS)


19/36


17

Willyoubeabletostay

inyourhome?

Your home may be damaged andunsae to live in.

Your personal property may bedamaged or destroyed.

Construction materials and labor or

repairs will be in limited supply andcosts will increase.

Rebuilding scams may be common. Availability o rental housing may

be limited due to damage and highdemand.

This porch on a wood-rame houseailed during the 1989 magnitude

6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake. Thered tag indicates that this home is

unsae and must not be entered oroccupied. (Photo courtesy o USGS)

How will the American

Red Cross Help?

Ater a damaging earthquake,the American Red Cross willhelp in the ollowing ways:

Opening and operating

emergency shelters. Providing ood at shelters

and eeding locationsand through mobiledistribution.

Obtaining and deliveringother needed items such as

water, baby supplies, andblankets.

Assisting with theimmediate mental-healthneeds o those aected.

Providing or basic healthneeds at shelters and other

locations. Helping with initial

recovery through caseworkand reerrals to otheragencies and partners.

Providing blood and blood

products.

For more inormation go to:

www.utahredcross.org

Can youlive without the

services you relyon?

Where will you get your

water, ood, medicines,and gasoline ater anearthquake? (Photocourtesy o USGS)

Water may be in short supply.

Natural gas and electric power may be out or days

or weeks. Garbage and sewage services may be interrupted.

Telephone, Internet, cell phone, and wirelesscommunications may be overloaded or unavailable.

Mail service may be disrupted or delayed. Gasoline may be in short supply, and rationing may

be necessary.

Bank operations may be disrupted, limiting access tocash, ATMs, or online banking.

Grocery, drug, and other retail stores may be closedor unable to restock shelves.

How will your job be aected?

Businesses may sustain damage anddisruptionmany small businesses requirea long time to reopen or do not survive

disasters. Your income may be aectedpayroll checks

or direct deposits may be delayed. Your workplace may become a temporary

shelter or you or others. Supplies and deliveries will be interrupted.

This business in Santa Cruz, Caliornia, was nearlydestroyed in the 1989 magnitude 6.9 Loma Prietaearthquake. (Photo courtesy o USGS)


20/36


18

Your Financial Situation CouldBe Afected by a Quake

Aid may not be available immediately ollowing a major

disaster. Without proper planning, the nancial impact oan earthquake on you and your amily could be devastating.Although many things are out o your control ater a quake,your ability to recover nancially depends on a number o

actors that you can control. Prepare and ollow a nancialdisaster recovery plan and you will be more likely to recoversuccessully. Consider the ollowing:

Will you have money,ood, andmedicine?

Bank operations may be disrupted, limiting access to cash, ATMs,

or online banking.

Food, drug, and other retail stores where you shop may be closed

or unable to restock shelves.

You are still responsible or your existing debts, such as mortgage,

lease, car, and credit-card payments.

You may not have access to important nancial records.

Your assets are at risk without sucient earthquake insurance.

I you have earthquake insurance and experience loss, begin

working with your insurer to le a claim as quickly as possible.

Will you be able to recover fnancially?

Will your insurance cover your losses?

This store was

temporarily closedollowing the2001 magnitude

6.8 Nisqually,Washington,

earthquake. (Photocourtesy o The

Olympian, Olympia,Wash.)

This bank wasdamaged inthe NisquallyWashington,earthquake,requiring customersto seek serviceselsewhere. (Photocourtesy o TheOlympian, Olympia,Wash.)

Homeowners and renters insurance policies do not cover lossesrelated to earthquakes.

A separate earthquake insurance policy is one way to help protect

your home, in addition to seismic retrotting.

Earthquake insurance also helps with additional living expenses

in the days and weeks ater earthquakes.

Relatively ew Utah homeowners have earthquake insurance.

HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE WILL COVER ANY DAMAGE TO MY

HOME OR BELONGINGS CAUSED BY AN EARTHQUAKE.

Most residential property in-

surance policies do not cover

damage resulting rom earth-

quakes. A separate earthquake

insurance policy is one way to

protect your home and the in-

vestments you have made inpersonal belongings. Investi-

gate your options careully to

ensure that your assets are su-

fciently protected.



21/36


19

Doesyour small business have a recovery plan?

A business disaster-recovery plan will make your business better

able to survive in a post-disaster environment.

Although physical assets can be replaced, emotional and socialchanges that aect businesses and their customers may remain

long ater a disaster.

Businesses may not return to their previous revenue levels ater

a disaster; however, some businesses such as construction arelikely to be in great demand ollowing an earthquake.

What types o ederal assistance may be

available?

Federal disaster-relie programs are designed to help you getpartly back on your eet but not to replace everything you lose.

The Department o Homeland Securitys Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA) is responsible or responding to,

planning or, and reducing the eects o disasters.

Ater the president signs a major disaster declaration, FEMA

cooperates with other agencies, such as the Small BusinessAdministration (SBA), in providing disaster relie.

For disaster relie, low-interest loans are made available through

the SBA to eligible individuals, homeowners, and businesses torepair or replace damaged property and personal belongings

not covered by insurance.

The maximum SBA personal-property loan is $40,000, and the

maximum SBA real-property loan or primary home repair is$200,000.

FEMA disaster grants or emergency home repairs and tempo-rary rental assistance are available to individuals and house-

holds. The average FEMA grant is less than $15,000 (the maximum is

$28,800)not enough to rebuild a home.

The Farm Service Agency oers loans to assist agricultural busi-nesses.

These small businesses in Santa Cruz, Caliornia, wereheavily damaged in the 1989 magnitude 6.9 LomaPrieta earthquake, but both eventually reopened. (Photocourtesy o USGS)

This home in the Santa Cruz Mountains collapsed in theLoma Prieta earthquake. (Photo courtesy o USGS)

Useul Web sites

Ready Your Business:

http://beready.utah.gov/business/index.html

Business Disaster Planning:

http://utah.acp-international.com

Business Preparedness Inormation:

http://www.ready.gov/business/


22/36

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

20

The Seven Steps to Earthquake Saety

Earthquakes in Utah are inevitable, but damage rom themcan be reduced. Steps you can take beore, during, and ater

earthquakes will help make you and your amily saer andreduce your injuries, damage, and losses:

First and oremost, plan or the personal saety o you andyour loved ones.

Look into the saety o your home, workplace, and childsschooldont be araid to ask your landlord, boss, or

schools principal i they are aware o the hazards andhave taken measures to make these places saer and

more earthquake resistant.

Find out i your home, workplace, and childs schoolcould be subjected to seismic hazards such as landsliding

or liqueaction, in addition to strong shaking.

Dont orget to think about likely economic impacts to

you and your amily rom a major quake (see pages 18,19, and 31).

The seven steps described in this section will help you to

be saer in earthquakes. They are arranged as measures youshould take beore, during, and ater quakes. In addition toollowing the steps at home, they should also be ollowed

at schools and workplaces. I everyone makes an eortto ollow these steps, billions o dollars could be saved,

injuries avoided, and many deaths averted in the next big

earthquake.

Youve learned your earthquake hazards, now ollow these seven steps:

BEFORE A QUAKE: STEP 1. Identiy potential hazards in your home and begin to x them

(page 22).STEP 2. Create a disaster-preparedness plan (page 24).

STEP 3. Prepare disaster supply kits (page 25).

STEP 4. Identiy your buildings potential weaknesses and begin to x

them (page 26).

DURING A QUAKE:

AFTER A QUAKE:

STEP 5. Protect yoursel during earthquake shaking (page 28).

STEP 6. Ater the earthquake, check or injuries and damage (page 29).

STEP 7. When sae, continue to ollow your disaster-preparedness plan

(page 30).


23/36

FOLLOW THE SEVEN STEPS TO EARTHQUAKE SAFETY

21

page 28

page 29

When sae, continue to ollow yourdisaster-preparedness plan. (page 30)

Ater the earthquake, check orinjuries and damage. (page 29)

Protect yoursel during earthquakeshakingDROP, COVER AND HOLD ON.(page 28)

Identiy your buildings potentialweaknesses and begin to x them.(page 26)

Prepare disaster supply kits.(page 25)

Create a disaster-preparedness plan.(page 24)

Identiy potential hazards in yourhome and begin to x them.(page 22)

5


24/36

STEP 1

The rst step to earthquake saety is to look

around your home and identiy all unsecuredobjects that might all during shaking.

START NOW by moving heavy urniture, such asbookcases, away rom beds, couches, and other

places where people sit or sleep. Also make surethat exit paths are clear o clutter.

Simple and inexpensive things that you can

do now will help reduce injuries and protectbelongings in a quake. Most hardware and

home-improvement stores carry earthquake-saety straps, asteners, and adhesives that youcan easily use to secure your belongings.

The ollowing tips describe simple solutions to

situations in your home that could be dangerousduring earthquake shaking. I these have not yet

been done in your home, take action now:

Collectibles and other loose

objects can become dangerousprojectiles.

o Hold collectibles, pottery,and lamps in place by using

removable earthquake putty,museum wax, or quake gel.

Tall, top-heavy urniture, such as

bookcases and entertainmentcenters, may all and injure you.

o Store heavy items andbreakables on lower shelves.

o Secure both top corners o tallurniture into a wall stud, not

just to the drywall.o Flexible-mount asteners, such

as nylon straps, allow urnitureindependent movement romthe wall, reducing strain on

studs.

Identiy Potential Hazards in YourHome and Begin to Fix Them

Hanging objects

Objects on open shelves and tabletops

Furniture

Art and other heavy objects hung

on walls may all, and glass inpictures and mirrors may shatter.

o Place only sot art, such asunramed posters or rugs

and tapestries, above beds orsoas.

o Hang mirrors, pictures, andother hanging objects on

closed hooks.

o Check the boxes!

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

22

QUAKE INJURIES ARE ALL FROM COLLAPSING

BUILDINGS.

Many people think that all injuries in earthquakes are

caused by collapsing buildings. Actually, most injuries

in quakes are rom objects that break or all on people.

For example, in the 1994 magnitude 6.7 Northridge

earthquake, 55 percent o quake-related

injuries were caused by alling

objects, such as televisions,

pictures and mirrors,and heavy light

fxtures.



25/36

Unsecured water heaters may all over, rupturing rigid waterand gas connections.

o Water heaters should be anchored to wall studs ormasonry with metal straps and lagscrews. Kits are available athardware stores and home

centers.o I not already

done, havea plumber

install fexible(corrugated)copper water

connectors.

Flexiblegas connector

Flexiblewater

connectors

Glassware and china may crash to the foor icabinet doors are unsecured. Gas appliancescan shit, rupturing their gas connections.

o Secure all cabinet doors,especially those overhead, tohelp prevent contents rom

alling out during quakes.Use latches designed

or child-proong orearthquake or boatsaety.

o Secure rerigeratorsand other major

appliances to walls

using earthquakeappliance straps.

Water and gas pipes

Water heaters

In the kitchen

In the garage or utility room

Home electronics

Water or gas pipes anywhere in your home can break. Waterleaks can cause extensive damage, and gas leaks are a majorre hazard.

o Have a plumber evaluate, replace, and properly securerusted or worn water and gas pipes.

o I not already done, have a plumber replace rigid gasconnections to water heaters, stoves, dryers, and othergas appliances with fexible (corrugated) stainless-steel

gas connectors (see below).o Excess-fow gas-shuto valves or individual appliances,

which stop gas fow in case o a catastrophic leak, are

also now available or use with fexible connectors.

Items stored in garages and utility rooms can all, causing

injuries, damage, and hazardous spills or leaks.

o Move fammable or hazardous materials to low areas thatare secure.

o Ensure that items stored above or beside vehicles cannotall, damaging or blocking them.

Large electronic devices may all, causing injuries and

damage. They are also costly to replace.

o Secure TVs, stereos, computers, and microwave ovenswith fexible nylon straps and buckles or easy removal

and relocation.

For more inormation on making your

home saer in earthquakes go to:http://beready.utah.gov

BEFORE A QUAKE


23


26/36

STEP 2

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

24

Will everyone in your household know how to react during andater strong earthquake shaking? To be ready or the quakesthat are certain to happen in Utah, it is important that your

amily have a disaster-preparedness plan. Hold occasionalearthquake drills to practice your plan. Share your disaster

plan with your neighbors and discuss key points with babysit-ters, house sitters, and house guests. Your plan should include

most o the ollowing:

In a strong earthquake, individual survival skills will

be crucial:

o Practice "DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON." (See STEP 5, page28)

o Identiy sae spots in every room, such as under sturdydesks and tables.

o Learn how to protect yoursel no matter where you arewhen an earthquake strikes. (See STEP 5, page 28)

Doing the ollowing will enable you to help youramily and others ater a strong quake:

o Keep shoes and a working fashlight next to each bed.o Teach everyone in your household to use emergency

whistles and (or) to knock three times repeatedly i

trapped. Rescuers searching collapsed buildings will be

listening or sounds.

o Identiy the needs o household members and neighborswith special requirements or situations, such as use o a

wheelchair, walking aids, special diets, or medication.

o Take a Red Cross rst aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary

resuscitation) training course. Learn who in yourneighborhood is trained in rst aid and CPR.

o Know the locations o utility shutos and keep neededtools nearby. Know how to turn o the gas, water, and

electricity to your home. Only turn o the gas i you smell

or hear leaking gas. (See STEP 6, page 29)

o Get training rom your local re department in how toproperly use a re extinguisher.

o Install smoke alarms and test them monthly. Changethe battery once a year, or sooner i the alarm emits a

"chirping" sound (low-battery signal).o Check with your re department to see i there is a

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in your

area. I not, ask how to start one.

Dont wait until the next earthquake to do the ollowing:

o Locate a sae place outside o your home or your amilyto meet ater the shaking stops.

o Establish an out-o-area contact person who can be calledby everyone in the household to relay inormation.

o Provide all amily members with a list o importantcontact phone numbers.

o Determine where you might live i your home cannotbe occupied ater an earthquake or other disaster (ask

riends or relatives).

o Learn about the earthquake plan developed by yourchildrens school or day care, and keep your children's

school emergency release cards current.

o Keep copies o insurance policies, nancial records, and

other essential documents in a secure location, such aswith your household disaster kit. Include a household

inventory (a list and photos or video o your belongings).

Create a Disaster-Preparedness Plan

Your amily may besleeping when the nextstrong quake hits Utah.

Ater the shaking stops,the lights may be out andbroken glass and otherdangerous debris maylitter the oor, making itunsae to walk bareoot.Keep a ashlight anda pair o sturdy shoessecured to or within reacho everyones bed. A goodway to do this is to use adrawstring bag tied to abedpost at the head o thebed or each occupant.(Photo courtesy USGS)

Plan NOW to be sae during an earthquake

Plan NOW to respond ater an earthquake

Plan NOW to communicate and recover ater an

earthquake


27/36

STEP 3

BEFORE A QUAKE


25

Everyone in your amily should have their own personal disaster

kits. These kits are collections o supplies they may need when aquake strikes.

Personalize these kits and keep them where they can easily be

reachedat home, in the car, at work or school. A backpack orother small bag is best or these kits so that they can be easily

carried in an evacuation. Include the ollowing items:

o Medications, a list o prescriptions, copies o medical

insurance cards, doctors names and contact inormation.o Medical consent orms or dependents.o First aid kit and handbook.o Spare eyeglasses, personal hygiene supplies, and

sturdy shoes.

o Bottled water.o Whistle (to alert rescuers to your location).o Emergency cash.o Personal identication.o List o emergency contact phone numbers.o Snack oods high in calories.o Emergency lightinglight sticks and (or) a working

fashlight with extra batteries and light bulbs (hand-powered fashlights are also available).

o Comort items, such as games, crayons, writing materials,and teddy bears.

Electrical, water, transportation, and other vital systems cbe disrupted or several days or more ater a large earthquaEmergency response agencies and hospitals will likely

overwhelmed and unable to provide you with immediassistance.

To help your amily cope ater a strong earthquake, storhousehold disaster kit in an easily accessible sae location. T

kit, which complements your personal disaster kits, should bea large portable watertight container and should hold at leas

3- to 5-day supply o the ollowing items:

o Drinking water (minimum one gallon per person per day)o First aid supplies, medications, and essential hygiene item

such as soap, toothpaste, and toilet paper.

o Emergency lightinglight sticks and (or) a workingfashlight with extra batteries and light bulbs (hand-

powered fashlights are also available).

o A hand-cranked or battery-operated radio (and sparebatteries).

o Canned and packaged oods and cooking utensils,including a manual can opener.

o Items to protect you rom the elements, such as warmclothing, sturdy shoes, extra socks, blankets, and perhaps

even a tent.

o Heavy-duty plastic bags or waste and to serve other uses

such as tarps and rain ponchos.

o Work gloves and protective goggles.o Pet ood and pet restraints.o Copies o vital documents, such as insurance policies and

personal identication.Note: Replace perishable items like water, ood, medications, a

batteries on a yearly basis.

For more inormation on saety, preparedness, anddisaster kits, go to:Telephone book:

The ront section o your local phone bookBe Ready Utah

http://beready.utah.govRocky Mountain Power

http://www.rockymtnpower.net/Article/Article36707/htmQuestar Gashttp://www.questargas.com/brochures/index.html#SAFET

Prepare Disaster Supply Kits

ASpecialNoteAboutChildrenBefore the next earthquake, spend time with your kids to

discuss what might occur. Involve them in developing yourdisasterplan,preparingdisasterkits (askthemwhatgameortoytheywant to include),andpracticingDROP,COVER,AND

HOLDON.

In the days after a quake, kids need extra contact and

support.Theymaybefrightenedandundergreatstress,andaftershockswontletthemforgettheexperience.Parentsmay

have to leavechildrenwithothers inorder todealwith the

emergency,andthiscanbescary.Wheneverpossible,includeyourchildrenintheearthquakerecoveryprocess.Resourcesforkidstolearnaboutdisasterpreparedness:

http://www.fema.gov/kids/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/4kids/

(Photo courtesy o American Red Cross)

Personal disaster kits Household disaster kit


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STEP 4 Identiy Your Buildings PotentialWeaknesses and Begin to Fix Them

Use the ollowing quiz to see i your home is likely to be so

badly damaged in a uture earthquake that people mightbe injured or that it would be unsae to occupy. I your

home scores above 17 on the quiz, you probably shouldhave a structural engineer evaluate it unless it has been

strengthened in the last ew years. The engineer will checkto see i your home is strong enough to keep you and your

amily reasonably sae in an earthquake by looking or theollowing:

Is your house properly connected to the oundation?

Is there plywood on the exterior walls o your house?

Are there anchors attaching the roo and foor systemsto the walls?

Is your house constructed out o unreinorced masonry?

Do you have large openings like a garage door that may

require better bracing?

The ollowing quiz will help you to determine the adequacy

o your house in resisting a seismic event. Once you haveidentied the areas requiring retrotting, prioritize how

and when to x them, and get started. Local buildingdepartments and the Structural Engineers Association o

Utah are excellent resources.

Structural-Saety Quiz or

Homes and Other Buildings

1. When was your home built?

o Beore 1970 = 6 pointso 1970 1980 = 3 pointso Ater 1980 = 1 point

2. How many stories and what style is your home?

o 2 or more stories above grade with stepped foors,

split levels, or large openings in foors = 5 pointso 2 or more stories above grade with fat foors, nosteps in the foor, and no large openings in foors =

3 pointso 1 story rambler above grade = 1 point

3. What is the construction material o the exterior walls?

oUnreinorced masonry bearing walls = 7 pointsoWood or reinorced masonry with ull height brickveneer = 3 pointsoWood or reinorced masonry = 1 point

4. What are the oundation walls constructed rom?

o

Stacked rock or brick, with basement = 5 pointsoStacked rock or brick, no basement = 3 pointoConcrete, with or without basement = 1 pointoSlab on grade, no basement = 0 points

5. Where is your house located? (see map, page 8)

Total points = __________

I your home scores 17 or more points on the quiz, you probablyshould have an engineer, architect, or contractor evaluate it.

EXAMPLES:

1. 1958, 1 story, unreinorced masonry, concrete oundation,

Salt Lake City: 6+1+7+1+8 = 23

2. 1995, 2 story (fat), wood (brick veneer), concrete

oundation, Ogden: 1+3+3+1+8 = 16

3. 2006, 2 story (large openings), wood, slab on grade, St.

George: 1+5+1+0+3 = 10

1 pt 3 pts 5 pts 8 pts

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

26

WE HAVE GOOD BUILDING CODES, SO WE MUST HAVE SAFE

BUILDINGS.

The best building code in the world does nothing or buildings built

beore the code was enacted. Although building codes used in Utah

have strict seismic provisions, many older buildings, particularly

unreinorced masonry buildings, have not been retroftted to meet

updated codes. Retrofttingfxing problems in older buildings

is the responsibility o a buildings owner.


Is your house, condo, or apartment strong

enough to withstand an earthquake?


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On October 28, 1983, two children, ages6 and 7, were killed by alling debris

rom a parapet (a wall-like barrier at theedge o a roo) on a business in Challis,

Idaho, as they walked to school. Challis isabout 13 miles north o the epicenter o

the 1983 Borah Peak earthquake (mag-nitude 7.3). Photos 1 and 2 were takeno damaged buildings rom this earth-

quake in the nearby town o Mackay,Idaho. These deaths were the rst

caused by an earthquake in the UnitedStates since 65 people were killed in the

San Fernando earthquake in Caliorniaon February 9, 1971.

The 1962 Cache Valley earthquake (mag-nitude 5.7) is another example o alling

debris rom parapets. Arrows in photo3 show the path o bricks that tumbled

rom the parapet o a drugstore onto theroo o the City Cae in Lewiston, Utah.

Luckily this cae in Lewiston was notopen when the earthquake occurred(see photo 4). Photo 5 shows damage to

an unreinorced masonry building in the2008 magnitude 6 Wells, Nevada, earth-

quake.

In response to the damage rom pastearthquakes, a parapet-bracing ordi-

nance was enacted in 1991 in Utah. Thisordinance requires that a licensed engi-neer evaluate the adequacy o parapet

bracing and the connection o the wallsto the roo when a commercial building

(built prior to 1975) is to be re-rooed.This ordinance can be ound in the UtahUniorm Building Standards Act Rules,

Statewide Amendments to the Interna-tional Building Code (R156-56-704).

The bracing o parapets, creating strong

wall-to-roo connections, and bracing or

elimination o other roo appendages(chimneys and cornices) are among the

simplest and most cost-eective seismicupgrades that can be made to a build-

ing.

The gures at let show how to braceparapets and chimneys. These guresare based on a State o Utah publication

titled The Utah Guide or the SeismicImprovement o Unreinorced Masonry

Buildings and may be viewed onlineat http://publicsaety.utah.gov/emer-

gencymanagement/utahhazards/earth-quake.html

(Photos 1 and 2 by O. Kasteler, courtesy o

the Deseret News; photos 3 and 4 courtesy

o the Salt Lake Tribune; photo 5 courtesy

o Craig dePolo, Nevada Bureau o Mines

and Geology)

1

2

3

4

5

BEFORE A QUAKE


27

Utah Parapet Ordinance


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STEP 5 Protect Yoursel DuringEarthquake Shaking

The previous pages have concentrated on

getting you ready or uture earthquakes

in Utah, but what should you do when the

shaking starts?

DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON. I you

are not near a desk or table, drop tothe foor against an interior wall andprotect your head and neck with

your arms.

Avoid exterior walls, windows,

hanging objects, mirrors, tallurniture, large appliances, and

cabinets lled with heavy objects.

Do not go outside until well ater the

shaking stops!

In bedHold on and stay there, protecting yourhead with a pillow. You are less likely to

be injured staying where you are. Brokenglass on the foor can cause injuries; be

sure to put shoes on beore stepping onthe foor.

In a high-rise buildingDROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON. Avoidwindows. Do not use elevators. Do not

be surprised i sprinkler systems or realarms activate.

At workDROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON. Know yourworkplaces earthquake saety plan and

put it into action. When sae, move to aspecied meeting location.

In a public building or theaterDROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON i possible.I in a theater seat, duck down and

protect your head and neck with yourarms. Dont try to leave until the shakingis over. Then walk out slowly, watching

or allen debris or anything that couldall on you in atershocks.

Move to a clear area i you can do sosaely; avoid buildings, power lines, trees,

and other hazards. Always assume allenpower lines are live.

Near tall buildingsWindows, acades, and architecturaldetails are oten the rst parts o a

building to collapse. Get away rom thisdanger zone when shaking starts. Takereuge in a sae building or an open

space.

DrivingWhen able, saely pull over to the side othe road, stop, and set the parking brake.

Avoid overpasses, bridges, power lines,signs, trees, and other things that might

collapse or all on the vehicle. Stay insidethe vehicle until the shaking is over. I

a power line alls on the vehicle, stayinside until a trained person removes the

hazard.

In a stadiumStay at your seat and protect your head

and neck with your arms. Dont try toleave until the shaking is over. Then exit

slowly, avoiding debris and watching oranything that could all in atershocks.

Below a damDams can ail during a major earthquake.Catastrophic ailure is unlikely, but i youare downstream rom a dam, you shouldknow food-zone inormation and have

prepared an evacuation plan. For moreinormation on possible food areas,go to the Utah Division o Water RightsDam Saety Program at http://www.

waterrights.utah.gov/cgi-bin/damview.exe, click on the dam o interest, and viewDam Break Map.

I you are indoors...

I you are outdoors...

DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON

I you are indoors, when you eel

strong earthquake shaking, drop

to the foor, take cover under a

sturdy desk or table, and holdon to it rmly until the shaking

stops.

(Photo courtesy o USGS)

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

28

THE TRIANGLE OF LIFE SURVIVAL

METHOD IS THE BEST METHOD TO USE

INSIDE A BUILDING TO SURVIVE AN

EARTHQUAKE.

False. The best survival method inside a building

is to Drop, Cover, and Hold On under a table, desk,or chair, rather than trying to get into a survivablevoid next to a large, bulky object as advocated bythe Triangle o Lie method. The Drop, Cover, andHold On survival method protects individualsrom objects alling rom walls and shelves. Italso provides a level o protection rom structuralailures. I a table or desk is not available, sitdown with your back against an interior wall,using your hands and arms to protect your headand neck.


DURING A QUAKE


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STEP 6 Ater the Earthquake, Checkor Injuries and Damage

Once earthquake shaking has stopped, ol-

low your disaster preparedness plans (see

Step 2, page 24). Most importantly:

NOTE: The manual in your rst aid kit and

the ront pages o your telephone bookhave instructions on rst aid measures.

Check yoursel or serious injuriesbeore helping others. Protect your

mouth, nose, and eyes rom dust. I a person is bleeding, put direct pres-

sure on the wound. Use clean gauze

or cloth, i available. I a person is not breathing, adminis-

ter rescue breathing. I a person has no pulse, begin CPR

(cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Do not move seriously injured per-

sons, unless they are in immediate

danger o urther harm. Cover injured persons with blankets

or additional clothing to keep themwarm.

FireI possible, put out small res inyour home or neighborhood immedi-

ately. Call or help, but dont wait orthe re department.

Gas leaksTurn o the gas only i

you suspect a leak because o brokenpipes or detect the odor or sound o

leaking natural gas. Use a manual gasshut-o wrench to close your main

gas valve by turning it counterclock-wise. Dont turn gas back on by your-

selwait or the gas company! (Yourtelephone book has inormation onthis topic.)

Damaged electrical wiringShut

o power at the main breaker switchi there is any damage to your home

wiring. Leave the power o until thedamage is repaired! (Your telephonebook also has inormation on this

topic.)

Downed utility linesI you see

downed power lines, consider themenergized and keep yoursel and oth-

ers well away rom them. Never touchdowned power lines or any objects incontact with them!

Falling itemsBeware o heavyitems tumbling o shelves when you

open closet and cupboard doors.

SpillsUse extreme caution; when in

doubt, leave your home. Spilled med-icines, drugs, or other relatively non-

toxic substances can be cleaned up.Potentially harmul materials, such asbleach, lye, garden chemicals, paint,

and gasoline or other fammable liq-

uids should be isolated or covered withan absorbent material, such as dirt orcat litter.

Damaged masonryStay away rombrick chimneys and walls. They may

be weakened and could topple dur-ing atershocks. Dont use a replacewith a damaged chimney, as this

could start a re or trap toxic gases inyour home.

I your home is structurally unsae orthreatened by a re or other secondary

disaster, you need to evacuate. However,shelters may be overcrowded and ini-

tially lack basic services, so do not leavehome just because utilities are out o ser-vice or your home and its contents have

suered moderate damage.

I you evacuate, tell a neighbor and youramily point-o-contact where you are

going. Take the ollowing, i possible,when you evacuate:

Bring to a shelter:o Personal disaster supply kits (see

STEP 3, page 25).o Supply o water, ood, and snacks.o Blanket, pillow, and air mattress or

sleeping pad.

o Change o clothing and a jacket.o Towel and washcloth.o Diapers, ormula, ood, and other

supplies or inants.o A ew amily pictures or other small

comort items, such as dolls or teddybears or children.

o Personal identication and copieso household and health insurance

inormation.o Books and games (especially or chil-

dren).

However, do not bring Pets (service animals or people with

disabilities are allowedbring oodor them).

Large quantities o unnecessary cloth-

ing or other personal items. Valuables that might be lost, stolen,

or take up needed space.

AFTERSHOCKGobacktoSTEP5

Check or injuries

Check or damage causing

hazardous conditions

I your home is seriouslydamaged

I you suspect a gasleak, use a manual

gas shut-ofwrench.

AFTER A QUAKE


29


32/36

STEP 7 When Sae, Continue to FollowYour Disaster-Preparedness Plan

Once you have met your and your amilysimmediate needs ater the next strong

Utah earthquake, continue to ollow your

disaster-preparedness plan (see Step 2, page24).

In the days ollowing a damaging quake,

pay special attention to the ollowing:

Saety rst Do not re-enter your home until you

know it is sae. Be sure there are no gas leaks at your

home beore using open fames(lighters, matches, candles, or grills) or

operating any electrical or mechanicaldevice that could create a spark (lightswitches, generators, chain saws, or

motor vehicles). Check or chemical spills, aulty elec-

trical wiring, and broken water lines.

Water in contact with aulty wiring is ashock hazard.

Unplug broken or toppled light xturesor appliances. These could start res

when electricity is restored. Never use the ollowing indoors: camp

stoves, kerosene or gas lanterns orheaters, gas or charcoal grills, or gas

generators, as these can release deadlycarbon monoxide gas or be a re hazardin atershocks.

Be in communication Turn on your portable or car radio and

listen or inormation and saety advi-

sories. Place all phones back on their cradles.

Call your out-o-area contact, tellthem your status, and then stay o the

phoneemergency responders needthe phone lines or lie-saving commu-nications.

Check on your neighbors.

Check your ood and water supplies I power is o, plan meals so as to use

up rerigerated and rozen oods rst. Iyou keep the door closed, ood in yourreezer may be good or a couple o

days. I your water is o, you can drink rom

water heaters, melted ice cubes, orcanned vegetables. Avoid drinking

the water rom swimming pools or hottubs; use it to ght res.

This is a time o transition. Althoughatershocks may continue, you willnow work toward getting your lie,

your home and amily, and your rou-tines back in order. Emotional care

and recovery are just as important ashealing physical injuries and rebuilding

a home. Make sure your home is sae tooccupy and not in danger o collapse in

atershocks. I you were able to remainin your home or return to it ater a ewdays, you will have a variety o tasks

to accomplish while re-establishingroutines:

Tasks I your gas was turned o, you will need

to arrange or the gas company to turn

it back on. I the electricity went o and then

came back on, check your appliancesand electronic equipment or damage.

I water lines broke, look or waterdamage.

Locate or replace critical documents

that may have been misplaced, dam-aged, or destroyed.

Contact your insurance agent or com-pany to begin your claims process.

Contact the Federal Emergency Man-agement Agency (FEMA) to nd outabout nancial assistance. For FEMA

teleregistration, call 1-800-621-FE(3362).

I you cannot live at your home, set

an alternative mailing address with post oce.

The American Red Cross oers immediemergency assistance with housing nee

The Red Cross also supports shelter ope

tions prior to a presidential declaration

a ederal disaster.

Once a presidential declaration has be

issued, FEMA may activate the Assistanor Individuals and Households Progra

This program includes:

Home-repair cash grants; the maximederal grant available is $28,800 or

individual and amily assistance. Housing assistance in the orm

reimbursement or short-term lodgexpenses at a hotel or motel.

Rental assistance or as long as months in the orm o cash paymor a temporary rental unit or a ma

actured home. I no other housing is available, FEM

may provide mobile homes or ottemporary housing.

The frst days ater the quake

The frst weeks ater theearthquake

I you cant stay in your home

FEMA mobile homes being set up in Port Chalotte, Florida, to provide temporary housingor victims o Hurricane Charley (August 200Nearly a year ater the storm, these trailers wstill being used. (Photo courtesy o FEMA)

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

30

AFTER A QUAKE

AFTERSHOCKGobackto

STEP5


33/36

A Review o Money Matters:Financial Impacts o EarthquakesFollowing a quake, disaster aid may not be immediately available, so you should

plan ahead. I you have prepared a nancial disaster recovery plan, you are morelikely to recover successully ater a quake. Financial recovery planning resourcesare available rom:

Operation Hope Emergency Financial First Aid Kit:

http://www.ncua.gov/Publications/brochures/EmergencyFinancialFirstAidKit.pd

American Red CrossDisaster Recovery: A Guide to Financial Issues (2003):

http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared/FinRecovery/

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): http://www.ema.gov/about/process

Small Business Administration: http://www.sba.gov/disaster_recov/index.html

Your nancial disaster recovery kitAter a damaging earthquake, you will need copies o essential nancial documents, as well

as emergency cash. Keep these items together, current, and stored in a re-proo documentsae. Consider purchasing a home sae or renting a sae deposit box. Some essential items

in your nancial disaster recovery kit are:

o Birth certicates.o Marriage license/divorce papers and

child custody papers.

o Passports and drivers licenses.o Social security cards.o Naturalization papers and residency

documents.o Military/veterans papers.o Critical medical inormation.o Cash, in the event ATM or bank

services are disrupted.

o Certicates or stocks, bonds, andother investments.

roots earthquake

Documents