Education is a funny thing. We spend the first part of our lives wondering if we’ll ever use the things we’re taught in elementary and secondary school. Then we may look upon our schooling as an endless stream of knowledge that has no bounds. Lastly, we may arrive at the idea that we make differences in our world when we focus our learning and apply knowledge to make this a better place to live and work.

Being an engineer that last statement for me is a defining mantra we become accustomed to and offer as justification for our chosen profession. I have been caught boasting about the practical nature of engineering, yet I know that what this “applied” profession uses as tools are developed by scientists and researchers without whom progress would be greatly slowed.

I was educated on the east coast (New England) and came to understand earthquakes as a natural disaster which essentially opened up the earth and swallowed people. As ridiculous as that sounds, it was about all I knew about earthquakes in 1973 and ultimately was a curiosity which ushered my westward move.

The Utah Seismic Safety Commission (USSC) has adopted a three-pronged look at the earthquake problem. Co-opted from the recent California Seismic Safety Commission strategic plan refinement, Learning about Earthquakes, Building for Earthquakes, and Living with Earthquakes has become our action plan for the foreseeable future. This distillation of our strategic plan into three basic categories will help focus attentions and hopefully will translate into “products” which bring home the message.

How we are motivated to learn about the world we live in is a complex question. Some incentive comes from our curious nature. Other motivation stems from our need for protection and survival. Living in an area susceptible to “natural disasters” generally warrants some consideration of the risk. This however, is also a function of the last time that can be remembered. When the evidence of danger is in the distant past, the priority adjusts accordingly. Earthquakes in Utah are a vague memory for some and yet are a present danger non-the-less.

The struggle shared by persons working in the field of earthquake preparedness and safety is bringing this message to an audience needing to consider the consequences of the destructive and disruptive nature of an earthquake. This message will need to be clearer and free of jargon and technical acronyms if it is to be given more than polite tolerance. The immediate question needing an answer is; ‘if this really is a problem, how much importance do I need to place on it’?

The USSC will always pursue better public education about earthquakes. Improving student level curriculums, providing teacher workshops, using software tools to better quantify the risk and making a concerted effort to be better communicators of the danger are among the immediate goals of the commission. The benefits of improving our understanding of earthquakes will be reaped after an event. Good preparation is an insurance policy we can’t afford to ignore and somehow need to put into proper perspective.

The knowledge about earthquakes will continue to grow. Our building codes will help assure better cost-effective solutions, and perhaps one day we’ll be able to “brace” ourselves because we’ll have the ability to narrow the window to see future events. Our desire to learn about earthquakes should be heightened not because we’ve just experienced a catastrophic event, but because we recognize that we can improve our surroundings and make a difference in our world.

January 14^th, 2005 USSC Meeting Preview

If you haven’t opened up your e-mail attachment or received the mailing yet with the upcoming meeting agenda, here is a peek at what we’ll be doing.

Anne von Weller and Scott Behunin will receive congratulatory letters from the USSC and Gov. Olene Walker for their years of service to the commission.

In our “news” time, we’ll have reports about on-going efforts and discuss ways to remain effective in our state. Hopefully you’ll find an idea or comment which sparks your interest.

We’ll discuss plans for our much needed update report on the activities of the USSC during the 2000-2004 period. Come with your ideas for content and style. I’ll present some of my own thoughts and we’ll map out a plan to produce the fourth publication on progress for this commission.

And lastly we’ll have invited guests Larry Reaveley and Ron Dunn share their perspective on what the USSC (and others) can do to reduce the danger of unreinforced masonry structures in Utah.

Barry’s Babble

As I look at how long this particular issue of the USSC E-Newsletter has become (and took to get out of my computer), I’m wondering if that left margin shouldn’t grow also. In the “Links of Note” column I’d like to add other useful information as you see fit. Let me know your interests and I’ll put them up for easy reference.

Something occupying my thoughts these last days of course is the devastating effect of the world’s most recent earthquake in Asia. I’m sure you share my concern for the people in this region and trust that aid will come quickly.

A recent article in Earthquake Spectra, (EERI, vol. 20 No. 4) challenges professionals in the earthquake engineering field to use available knowledge to help what is termed “developing nations” reduce life losses. This rings all-too-true as we look over the past few years worldwide events.

As we consider priorities for 2005 and beyond, it may be helpful to reflect on what has happened in our state and in the world in the last little bit. We each have a perspective and a knowledge which needs to be shared. Considering how we came to be where we are today should perhaps motivate how we put our “education” to effective use.

Have a Happy and Safe Holiday.

Barry H. Welliver

Learning about Earthquakes

January 14th, 2005 USSC Meeting Preview

Barry’s Babble

January 14^th, 2005 USSC Meeting Preview