Provided by: Eagle Mountain
Eagle Mountain Mayor Tom Westmoreland
Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed the devastation Hurricane Helen wreaked from Georgia to North Carolina.
Photos of flooded roads, destroyed homes and evacuated families were yet another reminder of how vulnerable our communities can be when natural disasters strike. Utah may not face hurricanes, but we are not immune to the forces of nature.
Earthquakes, wildfires, floods, and winter storms are real threats, and preparedness is key to mitigating their impacts.
At Eagle Mountain, we pride ourselves on our forward-thinking approach to emergency preparedness. Our emergency preparedness plans cover a wide range of potential disasters, from earthquakes to wildfires, and provide roadmaps that show how we can best prepare and how we intend to respond. It acts as a map.
This plan is more than just words on paper. This is an evolving, dynamic strategy that prioritizes the safety of our residents while keeping our community’s rapid growth in mind.
But the question is not whether we are prepared, but whether we are doing enough to respond effectively when disaster strikes.
As we reflect on our preparedness efforts over time, it is clear that building and sustaining resilient communities requires two key ingredients: resources and relationships.
City governments must make tough decisions about where to allocate their budgets. It’s often easy to prioritize infrastructure projects, parks, and services that provide immediately tangible benefits to residents.
In contrast, emergency preparedness is often more difficult to fund because its rewards occur during a crisis rather than in everyday life.
As we’ve seen time and time again, investing in preparedness can save lives, whether it’s a wildfire threatening your neighborhood or a major flood hitting your street. That’s why I encourage Eagle Mountain, and all of Utah County, to think more broadly about the role of emergency preparedness in community planning.
This will put significant funding toward improving early warning systems, ensuring public safety personnel have the tools and resources they need, and continually updating emergency protocols to keep pace with Utah County’s growth. It means that.
Eagle Mountain is already making progress. We conduct regular emergency drills, train city personnel, and work closely with state and federal agencies. But there’s always more to do. Investing in future preparedness will only strengthen our ability to protect populations and minimize damage in the face of major disasters.
Financial investments are important, but reserves are about more than just the money you spend. I feel it’s also about relationships. How well we respond during disasters is often determined by the strength of our relationships.
My son serves in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Georgia. In a recent conversation, he spoke about the impact of Hurricane Helen through the relationships he has built with people who own heavy equipment and those who simply want to contribute more to their communities with local disaster response efforts. mentioned how they were able to help those who
We have seen stories of neighbors helping neighbors, communities coming together to care for the most vulnerable, and local organizations stepping up to provide shelter and supplies. I did. They are a powerful reminder that when the worst happens, we are only made stronger by the strength of the bonds we form.
At Eagle Mountain, we understand the value of community. We see it at community events, local businesses, schools, and churches. We recently witnessed this in our area as we responded to wildfires that threatened homes in our neighborhood over the summer. He urged the city to come together and share resources and plan additional routes from the neighborhood.
I encourage each of us to deepen that connection now. Get to know your neighbors by attending a neighborhood block party, joining a community service group, or just starting a conversation.
Stronger community ties mean that we are no longer dependent solely on government resources in the event of a disaster. We trust each other and rely on the bonds we forged long before disaster struck.
Preparation is not a luxury. This is a necessity that requires both planning and active investment.
We invite you to consider how you can contribute to our collective preparedness. Whether it’s participating in local emergency training, volunteering with a local organization, or simply reaching out to your neighbors, we all play a role in building a more prepared community.
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