While that may happen elsewhere after the Utah quake, it doesn't in Johnson's neighborhood. But for damaged homes where search and rescue work is deemed appropriate, his CERT organization had stored some cribbing and pry bars, and they use it now to rescue people. Neighborhood medical teams are busy offering first aid.

Johnson also reports conditions to the West Valley City emergency operations center and to local leaders of the LDS Church. In 2006, the local LDS Granger South Stake in Johnson's area was encouraging formation of CERT groups in each of its ward areas and arranged for each to report to a central contact during emergencies.

Leon DeVries was the emergency communications director for that stake area. In 2006, he worked out a list of assigned radio frequencies that each CERT group there would use with hand-held radios. After the quake, such assignments allow church and CERT leaders in a variety of areas to tune into each others' frequencies to communicate.

And for the LDS Church, DeVries was to report by radio local conditions to a regional coordinator at the church's Magna Storehouse. It would in turn radio condition reports to an overall LDS coordinator at Welfare Square. The church could then marshal its many resources and stores to wherever needed in the quake area.

Getting help

In 2006, Johnson said contacting the West Valley City emergency operations center would be a little trickier. At that time, his group was told it should just call 911 — which might be difficult if phone service was down from the quake, or if thousands of others were trying to call at the same time.

But he said West Valley officials in 2006 were trying to work out ways for CERT groups to contact its emergency operations center by radio in emergencies — and luckily they arranged that before the 2008 quake hit.

Before the quake struck, Johnson knew he had some situations that would require outside help. For example, a couple of neighbors would need kidney dialysis every few days; he knew to quickly call for help to arrange it. Some others need oxygen constantly but usually only have a week's supply. He passes on the need for more.

Also, he knows who has food and water stored and is willing to share, and which residents have portable stoves they will share. No one in the neighborhood will go hungry or thirsty. Also, some have volunteered use of travel trailers and campers as temporary shelters, if needed. No one in the neighborhood will freeze.

His neighbors work together on other things, too. Because power is out for days — and therefore blowers on furnaces do not work — neighbors tend to gather in homes with fireplaces to keep warm together. That stretches fuel that was stored.