The following advice was provided during a presentation provided by Aaron Sainsbury, an Emergency Manager for the City of South Jordan, UT on June 19th, 2025.
Expectations: - If your plan is to wait for the government or church to provide for your needs in an emergency, you have the wrong plan. Plan on using your own supplies for a bare minimum of four days to two weeks with a more realistic goal of at least one month. Even then, emergency supplies will be limited and you may not receive immediate assistance. You will most likely face additional wait times.
Plan: - Make a plan and tailor your supplies to your family's needs. Then use your supplies to test your plan and to become familiar with the equipment you have included. Your equipment should include a get-home bag in each vehicle to provide what you need to get back to your home in an emergency.
South Jordan City Emergency Plan: - South Jordan City (SJC) will provide the same services we provide every day. The work capacity of our city staff does not magically increase in an emergency. Our objectives are to restore utility services, help traffic flow, and to maintain order.
SJC has no supplies stored to distribute to the general public.
SJC has 5 ambulances, and 3 fire engines to service 89,116 citizens.
SJC has 24 employees to maintain 425 miles of culinary water lines, pumps, transfer stations, etc.
SJC has 20 employees to maintain 416 miles of paved streets, clear debris, etc.
Neighborhoods: - Neighborhoods that are organized, and have communications established will most likely receive assistance first.
Others: - Citizens should make allowance in our family plan to account for the possible arrival of other family members or friends who have been displaced and need food and shelter in our homes. Account for the possibility that you may not be able to re-supply quickly or easily.
The following advice was provided during a presentation provided by Sergeant Eric Anderson of the South Jordan City Police Department on June 19th, 2025.
Expectations: - SJV Police are responsible for 258 square miles and 89,116 residence within our city limits. Current day patrols are usually staffed at six officers. This can be doubled as necessary. In an emergency, the staff may shrink due to the need of the officers to support their own families. In an emergency, response to 911 calls from neighborhoods will likely be placed as last priority due to manpower limitations.
South Jordan Police primary emergency response duties are:
Securing hospitals and government management buildings
Traffic control
Fire response
Evacuation management
Advice for neighborhoods:
Get to know your neighbors so that you can cooperate to secure your property in the absence of a police response.
Consider personal protection. Citizens need to accept responsibility for our own safety.
After the emergency has been resolved and supplies and reconstruction has begun, police will attempt to do investigations on incidents that occurred during the emergency.
Additional Resources: Here is an excellent reference with information on all of the topics listed above.