The Wasatch Front Unreinforced Masonry Risk Reduction Strategy was just released!
Hats off to Utah Division of Emergency Management, Utah Seismic Safety Commission, the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program and FEMA for producing this valuable resource to help earthquake-prone communities tackle the problem of unreinforced masonry buildings.
The strategy leverages resources and case studies from Utah and other seismically vulnerable areas. Building upon past and current earthquake mitigation successes, this report was developed to be actionable by recommending best practices in identifying unreinforced masonry buildings, designing retrofits and developing and implementing locally appropriate risk reduction programs.
The interagency National Mitigation Investment Strategy group, led by FEMA, selected the Wasatch Front Unreinforced Masonry Risk Reduction Strategy as a pilot project for a national effort to reduce seismic risk damage and find solutions to address it. The collaborative approach in this strategy resource is intended to support and guide the development of unreinforced masonry risk reduction programs across the United States. The strategy is written to provide state and local policymakers with a list of actions to take as soon as possible.