FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
 
April 6, 2012
Contact: Art Raymond
801-547-2659

Leaders Encourage Property Owners to “Fix the Bricks”
Many Salt Lake City residences and offices at high risk in earthquake

SALT LAKE CITY – As communities across the state plan for the upcoming Great Utah ShakeOut earthquake drill, Mayor Ralph Becker and State Representative Greg Hughes are hoping residents will consider more than just their 72-hour kits. On Monday, April 9, 2012, at 10 a.m., on the east steps of the Salt Lake City & County Building, the two leaders will discuss the life-threatening, devastating effects posed by earthquakes on masonry buildings constructed without steel reinforcement – and what residents and government leaders can do to mitigate those dangers.

Unreinforced masonry buildings (URMs) were commonly built throughout Utah until the 1970s. Salt Lake City alone claims more than 30,000 residential URMs. Seismic experts say those structures are among the most vulnerable types of buildings and are not likely to withstand the impact of any significant tremor.

“Because of the potentially high loss of life, we consider the URM issue in Utah to be our region’s greatest mitigation priority,” said Doug Bausch, senior physical scientist of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region VIII.

Mayor Becker and Representative Hughes will be joined by Salt Lake City Emergency Management Program Director Cory Lyman, Salt Lake City Building Services Director Orion Goff and Structural Engineer Barry Welliver.


EVENT:                                    “Fix the Bricks” Press Conference

WHO:                                       Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker
                                                Utah State Representative Greg Hughes
                                                Salt Lake City Emergency Management Program Director Cory Lyman
                                                Salt Lake City Building Services Director Orion Goff
                                                Structural Engineer Barry Welliver       

WHEN:                                    Monday, April 9
                                               10 a.m.

WHERE:                                  Salt Lake City & County Building
                                               451 South State Street
                                               East Steps