FEMA AND UTAH RELEASE UNREINFORCED MASONRY RISK REDUCTION STRATEGY
GUIDE FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20210318/fema-and-utah-release-unreinforced-masonry-risk-reduction-strategy-guide]


Release Date: 
March 18, 2021 

DENVER – Nearly one year after the damaging earthquake centered
around Magna, FEMA and the state of Utah are releasing a strategy to
address the risks posed to unreinforced masonry structures. The
document, _Wasatch Front Unreinforced Masonry Risk Reduction Strategy,
_provides guidance to Utah communities on how to identify their own
risk and then take steps to address it.

The five recommendations made in the strategy include the Unreinforced
Masonry School Risk Reduction Program, Retrofit Program Focused on
Government-Owned Unreinforced Masonry Structures, Statewide
Unreinforced Masonry Risk Reduction Program, Utah State Construction
Code Enhancements, and Utah State Construction Code – Local
Amendments. The full document will be available online at www.fema.gov
[http://www.fema.gov].

Unreinforced masonry was a common building material throughout Utah up
until seismic building codes became more prevalent in the 1970s.
 These brittle brick buildings do not incorporate the reinforcing
steel required by modern building codes. There are an estimated
140,000 such structures across the state. They encompass a wide
variety of buildings, from individual homes, to businesses, to schools
and houses of worship. Such structures can more easily succumb to the
movement and shaking during an earthquake, posing a threat to building
occupants as well as individuals outside in close proximity to the
structures.

The _Wasatch Front Unreinforced Masonry Risk Reduction Strategy_ is a
direct result of an earthquake summit in Salt Lake City in June 2019.
The overarching goal includes accelerating statewide progress on
mitigation of unreinforced masonry structures. The purpose of the
summit was to raise awareness about the risk of unreinforced masonry
buildings, identify mitigation opportunities and brainstorm funding
solutions. More than 100 participants from across the public and
private sectors participated in the two-day event. One need identified
by participants included a resource guide for local communities to use
and implement solutions.

FEMA and the state of Utah recognize the importance of mitigation in
reducing exposure to future losses from disasters. The interagency
National Mitigation Investment Strategy— published in August 2019
— was developed to help the nation be more intentional about setting
resilience and mitigation investment priorities to benefit the whole
community., The _Wasatch Front Unreinforced Masonry Risk Reduction
Strategy _was selected as a pilot project for this national effort in
recognition of Utah’s acknowledgement of a serious seismic risk and
dedication to finding a solution.

While this product was developed for communities across the Wasatch
Front, it also is replicable. Its collaborative approach is intended
to support and guide the development of unreinforced masonry risk
reduction programs across the United States. The strategy has been
written to provide state and local policymakers with a clear list of
actions to take as soon as possible, through policy and with
budgeting, legislation, and executive actions, as appropriate.
Implementation of the suggested actions will help to make our
communities more resilient and save lives and property in the process.