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Tonya Papanikolas Reporting State geologists have said the chance of a large earthquake hitting the Wasatch Front in the next 50 years is about 25-percent. If that big earthquake hit during school, many say the kids would be at risk because their school buildings aren't safe enough.
The capitol is undergoing seismic retrofitting, so we know lawmakers will be safe in the future if an earthquake hits here. But the state wants those same lawmakers to consider the safety of schools.
The Granite School District is building a new elementary school in West Valley. Architects are making sure Gearld Wright Elementary is ready if an earthquake hits.
Jim Day, Granite School District Architect: "You can see the steel construction; all the masonry walls are reinforced with steel."
The walls, the ceiling, even the concrete columns are strengthened by steel bars.
Jim Day: "That helps carry the load path, holds the columns together in an earthquake so the building doesn't collapse."
But you won't find that same kind of structure at schools built before 1975.
Jim Day: "Older buildings that are pre-seismic code in an earthquake would not perform well."
The state office of education estimates that 58-percent of Utah school buildings were built before that time. Many of them are along the Wasatch fault line.
Larry Newton, School Finance Director, State Office of Education: "We have 23 school districts, about 750 schools in the state that are along that corridor."
So the state has drawn up a plan to get schools ready. It's going to take a lot of money.
Larry Watson: "As a guess, we're suggesting that we go to the legislature and ask for 25-million a year for 10 years."
The state is also suggesting that each school district analyze its seismic needs and then try to match that money. The seismic readiness report gathered by the state shows Granite district has the highest amount of older schools that have not undergone seismic upgrades. Davis County has 25 schools in that category, Salt Lake and Ogden have 21.
