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Happy 14th Birthday to Be Ready Utah!
In April 2006, then-Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert created the Be Ready Utah campaign in response to his visit to Louisiana, which was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He wanted a Utah-based program to promote and increase preparedness within Utah. The Be Ready Utah program today resides within the Division of Emergency Management and as a special initiative under the direction of Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox.
April 6, 2020, marks the 14th anniversary of the creation of Be Ready Utah, the Utah Department of Public Safety Division of Emergency Management’s (DEM) public outreach program to encourage Utahns to “Be Ready” for disasters and emergencies.
When speaking about the aim of Be Ready Utah and why he created it, Governor Herbert says that he is asked, “Be Ready” for what?
His reply: “Be Ready” for anything.
The preparedness experts of Be Ready Utah, led by manager Wade Mathews, teach an all-hazards approach to individual, family, business, school, and community preparedness. They routinely present preparedness information to community, business, school, and faith-based groups on the following topics:
- Business continuity.
- After-disaster rapid neighborhood assessments.
- School readiness.
- Earthquake preparedness.
- Disaster supply kits.
Be Ready Utah is active on social media, and shares regular information to help Utah prepare:
- Twelve Areas of Emergency Preparedness
- The “Make a Plan, Get a Kit, Be Informed, and Get Involved” mantra.
- Be Ready Utah PrepCast videos.
- Public service announcements encouraging Utahns to share their experiences in preparing with the “Anytime is a Good Time to Talk About Emergency Preparedness” campaign.
The BeReadyUtah.gov website is a library full of helpful information for families, businesses, schools, and community groups to learn what hazards could be faced in Utah and how to prepare for or mitigate against them.
The website has downloadable brochures on many aspects of preparedness for home, business, school, and community use. Be Ready Utah also connects you to other preparedness partners, such as the Division of Emergency Management, Ready.gov, American Red Cross, USU Extension, Utah ShakeOut, Be Ready Utah Expo, and other partner programs.
During its 14-year existence, Be Ready Utah has become a recognized source for proven, effective, and reliable emergency preparedness information.
By the numbers in 2019
- Be Ready Utah impacted approximately 20,000 people through fairs, presentations, and educational materials.
- Emergency preparedness outreach efforts occurred at 215 community, church, school, and business events.
- The Great Utah ShakeOut had more than 1 million participants for the third time.
- Since the ShakeOut began, more than 7.6 million people have participated in the annual drill.
How can Be Ready Utah help you and your community?
Go to BeReadyUtah.gov to find out. Want to know more? Follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube or even Instagram and Snapchat by searching for BeReadyUtah. Want to know what you can do today? Make a plan, get a kit, be informed, and get involved.
Bryan Stinson is an outreach specialist with the Division of Emergency Management’s Be Ready Utah program. bstinson@utah.gov
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