Shaky Schools?
I used the timeline search tool on google to research information about the danger of the earthquake that experts are prediciting will soon happen in Utah. Most of what I found in the news in the past year was widespread concern over the safety of schools. One article stated that 77 out of 128 schools in Utah didn't seem to meet federal guidelines for earthquake safety. The nature of these buildings show that when an earthquake of such magnitude does hit Utah, many of these buildings will crumble. However the funding for a project that may make school buildings safer in Utah has been hard to get. Rep. Larry Wiley, D-West Valley City, has seen his bill to do just that shot down each of the past three years. That, he notes, not long after the Legislature spent $227 million to make the Capitol safer in the event of a quake. Meanwhile, "those kids aren’t even going to have a chance."http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51147642-76/buildings-utah-earthquake-schools.html.csp
Another issue that was found in the news in the past year was the readiness of all Utah citizens for a high magnitude earthquake. Becky Bruce from KSL reported that only 15% of Utah residents had earthquake insurance. This is worrisome because an earthquake could likely leave most of Utah in financial ruin on top of the other devastation.
http://www.insuranceinutah.com/2011/02/are-you-prepared-for-an-earthquake.html
Overall, I found that there are many people in Utah who are as worried about Utah's earthquake readiness as much as I am. Although I was glad to find many different news stories from the past year that highlight the importance of insuring our safety and well-being in the event of a massive earthquake, I was hoping that I would find more articles about what Utah is actually doing to insure our safety and well-being. I think that this topic should not be a matter of panic in Utah, but a matter of urgency.
Comments
Shaky Policies?
Dear Danielle:
I was alarmed by your post, "Shaky Schools," because it is alarming to think what could happen to the schools and overall economy of Utah if a large earthquake were to hit. As seen in the Japan earthquake, the ramifications of such an Earthquake would be inconcievable.
One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is: "That, he notes, not long after the Legislature spent $227 million to make the Capitol safer in the event of a quake." I think this is incredibly self serving because the politicians should be ready and willing to protect the children and people of the state far sooner than themselves.
Another sentence that I <past tense verb> was: "One article stated that 77 out of 128 schools in Utah didn't seem to meet federal guidelines for earthquake safety." This stood out for me because it is terrifying to think what could, and would happen to all the children and young adults who attend Utah schools.
Your post reminds me of something that happened to me. In seventh grade, my science teacher went into extreme detail about the pressure on the California faultlines. I was terrified, and imediately told my mother. We made an earthquake kit later that weekend, but it was alarming to hear how many people hadn't even registered the possibility of an earthquake in the future, let alone a large one.
Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because the lack of foresight in this, and many other natural disaster issues, is alarming because of the extreme consequences that would befall everyone. Hopefully there will be new precautions taken in the future that I will be able to learn about here.