By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Juab County and Wasatch Front residents may see various emergency response activities and a military presence associated with a multi-day emergency exercise next week.
Some residents from the county and some residents from its cities will be called upon to participate in the "Vigilant Guard Exercise Utah 2014. The event is an emergency preparedness exercise designed to test and improve the Utah Division of Emergency Management's and the Utah National Guard's ability to support local responders during a disaster.
Randy McKnight, Nephi City administrator, said that residents of the city will notice the exercise in particular because the city airport and the hospital will both be used.
"The Utah Division of Emergency Management and the Utah National Guard are participating in Vigilant Guard Utah 2014, a multiagency earthquake-response exercise November. 3-6, 2014, in various locations along the Wasatch Front," said McKnight.
The event 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.
Some will act the part of victims and others will provide support and treatment. As with any simulation, some events may seem lifelike and are designed to test how well a large earthquake would be handled by responders.
It's a good reminder that preparedness is for government and residents alike.
"It is designed as an emergency preparedness exercise to test and improve the Utah Division of Emergency Management's and the Utah National Guard's ability to support local responders during a disaster," said McKnight.
The exercise will take place every day from November 3, 2014 until November 6, 2014
It is part of America's PrepareAthon.
"Just as regular exercise is good for physical well-being, regularly exercising of an emergency management program makes a lot of sense, especially if the exercises are tailored to meet specific organizational requirements," said Don Cobb in the Journal, Utah Emergency Management Newsletter. "Frankly, exercise is an unsurpassed way to train individuals and agencies that may be very important to your program's success."
Exercise can also be used as an evaluation tool to determine the effectiveness of plans, resource capabilities, and participants' knowledge.
Contact Information for the exercise will be the State of Utah Emergency Operations Center and Joe Dougherty, 801-538-3738, or at the website: http://emergencyinfoutah.com
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," said McKnight.
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 (in Nephi); 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.
