Tornado sparks preparedness reminder for Davis County families

FARMINGTON — Last week's tornado in Davis County was a reminder that even the emergencies people do not expect can happen close to home.

For Centerville resident Luke Ruoti and his son, Cooper, the storm also exposed a gap in their own emergency preparedness.

"We weren't really prepared for it," Ruoti said. "Actually, we came up. I was looking at the cloud and said, ' That looks like a tornado cloud.'"

Ruoti said he and Cooper watched and recorded the tornado as it moved through the area, but the experience made him realize they needed to be better prepared.

"Honestly, we weren't prepared for it because it's something that doesn't happen around here," Ruoti said.

That lesson brought the family to the Davis County Emergency Preparedness Fair at Western Sports Park in Farmington on Saturday.

The free, family-friendly event brought together emergency managers, public safety agencies and other organizations to give residents practical information about preparing for disasters and other emergencies.

For Cooper, part of the appeal was getting an up-close look at emergency equipment.

"It's really fun because they let you go, and like, that's the helicopter back there and all the stuff which I really like it," Cooper said.

The goal goes beyond giving families a look at emergency vehicles.

The fair included information and demonstrations focused on earthquakes, severe weather, wildfire, flooding, home safety, sanitation and building emergency supplies.

Ruoti said the presentations also gave his family information they had not previously considered.

"We've seen several of those different presentations, and it's actually very informative because there's a lot of things you don't think about, especially with tornadoes or other things like fires," he said.

Centerville Emergency Manager Louisa McDonald said preparedness should also include the unexpected challenges families can face inside their own homes.

"Mother Nature is going to do her thing, but we need to be prepared personally for what happens within our own home," McDonald said.

Joe Dougherty, a spokesman for the Utah Division of Emergency Management, said officials want residents to leave events like the fair with practical knowledge and confidence.

"We want people to come away with knowledge, come away with hope and be ready to be the best responders they can be when disaster strikes," Dougherty said.

The fair comes as National Preparedness Month wraps up. Emergency officials encourage families to use the month as a reminder to create an emergency plan, discuss it with household members and gradually build up the supplies they may need during a disaster.

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