HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Hill Air Force Base will participate in the "Great Utah ShakeOut," a statewide earthquake drill on April 17 aimed at improving earthquake preparedness and awareness.
Although an earthquake preparedness drill can be held any day of the year, Hill AFB will join in the statewide exercise that kicks off at 10:15 a.m.
Unit personnel should demonstrate drop, cover and hold on procedures upon notification the exercise has started.
There are unique dangers associated with Utah’s geography, particularly with the Wasatch Fault that stretches nearly 240 miles from southern Idaho, through northern Utah, before ending in central Utah.
The importance of earthquake preparedness becomes even more relevant with a warning from statistics that a major earthquake is overdue. According to the Utah Geological Survey, the Wasatch Fault releases a major earthquake every 350-400 years. The last one occurred nearly 350 years ago.
The Great Utah Shakeout website at https://www.shakeout.org/utah/dropcoverholdon/ has additional resources available to include videos, flyers, and emergency planning checklists for recovery from a catastrophic event.