SALT LAKE CITY — Wasatch Front residents may see various emergency response activities and a military presence associated with a multi-day emergency exercise in November. It’s a good reminder that preparedness is for government and residents alike.
The Utah Division of Emergency Management and the Utah National Guard are participating in Vigilant Guard Utah 2014, a multiagency earthquake-response exercise Nov. 3-6, 2014, in various locations along the Wasatch Front.
The scenario calls for a large-magnitude earthquake to hit somewhere in Davis and Salt Lake counties, causing extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure, as well as significant loss of life. The exercise is designed to test and improve the Division of Emergency Management’s and the Utah National Guard’s ability to work with and support civilian authorities in response to a natural disaster or a civil emergency.
Vigilant Guard is an exercise program sponsored by the U.S. Northern Command and supported by the National Guard Bureau. Some out-of-state participants will relocate temporarily to Utah, while others will remain in their home states to provide command and control, administrative or logistical support for the exercise.
Other participants will include: National Guard units from Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and New Mexico; Salt Lake, Utah, Juab, Summit, Davis, and Wasatch counties; hospitals, including Primary Children’s Medical Center, University of Utah, Lone Peak, Davis and Central Valley; American Red Cross; Utah Railway Company; and Questar Gas.
For official information and updates before and during the exercise, follow #VGUT14. Personal preparedness information is always available at BeReadyUtah.gov