Imagine you are told that a 7.0-magnitude earthquake has happened in Salt Lake City, sending aftershocks across the state. This has caused buildings to fall, trees to cover roadways, traffic to be impacted and communication lines to go down. How do you handle this emergency? Is your family prepared for what might come? Are your neighbors?

This very scenario was posed to me and other city employees. As mayor of American Fork City, our well-being as a community is deeply important to me. Every year, our city’s key personnel and others go through an emergency drill or disaster simulation. This helps us evaluate our response to potential disasters.

Utah is a state with risk of wildfires, flooding and earthquakes. While we all hope that we will never face severe crises like natural disasters or more personal emergencies, the reality is that they are part of the unpredictable nature of life. Preparing for these possibilities is not just a precaution; it is a necessity.

As individuals, we can make choices that can positively impact our future preparedness. One place to start is each household should have its own disaster plan. This includes knowing evacuation routes, having a communication strategy in place and keeping an emergency kit stocked with essentials such as food, water, medical supplies and important documents. These simple steps can make a significant difference in ensuring the safety of you and your loved ones during a crisis.

Another helpful resource to consider is the Emergency Management page on your city’s website. American Fork’s is americanfork.gov/emergency. There you can find anything from an Emergency Preparedness Resource Guide to your city’s major incident plan, recommendations for specific scenarios and educational materials. Our Emergency Management page also includes directions on how to sign up for AF Notify, which is the city’s notification system for communicating with residents in the event of an emergency by means of a mass email, call or text. American Fork City, along with Utah County, uses the Everbridge Emergency Notification System (which may be called something different in your city) for its emergency alert system.

On a broader scale, American Fork City is committed to strengthening its response to potential emergencies. Our emergency services, including our police, fire and rescue departments and our Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), are continually receiving training to help them respond swiftly and effectively in any situation. As referenced earlier, even city leadership trains in emergency scenarios.

The success of these efforts depends on the cooperation and readiness of our entire community. In times of crisis, our strength lies in our unity. Getting to know your neighbors and working together can create a network of support that is invaluable during an emergency. When we stand together, we can face any challenge with confidence and determination. Our preparedness today will determine our resilience tomorrow.