Salt Lake City – The first-ever Spanish edition of Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country is now available. About 14% of Utahns identify as Hispanic or Latino, the largest minority group in Utah.
Since 1847, Utah has experienced 17 earthquakes greater than magnitude 5.5, the most recent being the Magna Quake on March 18, 2020, which registered 5.7 in magnitude.
“Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country provides essential information about earthquakes, emergency preparedness, and life-saving actions that all Utahns need to know before another major earthquake strikes. We are making significant strides in increasing accessibility to crucial safety resources for Spanish-speaking communities across the state by translating this publication into Spanish,”
said Kris Hamlet, director of the Utah Division of Emergency Management.
The guide has been available in English for 16 years, since 2008. Translation and printing of this long-standing, critically-acclaimed, earthquake preparedness guide were conducted through a joint effort by the Utah Department of Public Safety’s Division of Emergency Management (DEM), Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Utah Department of Natural Resources’ Utah Geological Survey (UGS), and the Utah Seismic Safety Commission (USSC).
“This partnership is an excellent example of collaboration among government and private organizations to enhance community resilience and preparedness. We are empowering more Utahns to protect themselves and their loved ones in the event of an earthquake with this Spanish translation.”
said Robert Grow, chair of the Utah Seismic Safety Commission.
Hard copies of the guide, in Spanish and English, are free of charge and available at:
The Utah Department of Natural Resources Bookstore
1594 West North Temple, Salt Lake City
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services
195 North 1950 West, Salt Lake City
The Mexican Consulate
660 South 200 East Unit 300, Salt Lake City
Visit earthquakes.utah.gov for more information about earthquake preparedness and to access a digital version of Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country guide in either English or Spanish. DEM’s beready.utah.gov is also an excellent source for emergency preparedness information.
For more information, contact:
- DEM public information officer, Wade Mathews, at 801-834-9741,
- DHHS public information officer, Edwin Espinel, at 385-239-1751; or
- UGS public information officer, Hollie Brown, at 801-243-9466.
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About Utah Division of Emergency Management: DEM’s mission is to unite the emergency management community and to coordinate the efforts necessary to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies, disasters, and catastrophic events.
About Utah Department of Health and Human Services: The vision of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services is to advocate for, support, and serve all individuals and communities in Utah. We strive to ensure all Utahns have fair and equitable opportunities to live safe and healthy lives.
About Utah Geological Survey: The Utah Geological Survey provides timely scientific information about Utah’s geologic environment, resources, and hazards.
About Utah Seismic Safety Commission: The Utah Seismic Safety Commission is committed to reducing the risks associated with earthquakes in Utah through education, outreach, and collaboration with government, private, and community partners.