Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Recovery

Editors note: The Michigan Alliance is not in any way associated nor does it profit from any of the resources listed on this page. 

Repositories of cultural resources should create their own Disaster Preparedness Plan. Additional resource materials may be found on the web at CoOL (Conservation OnLine). This is a full text database maintained by the conservation office of Stanford University Libraries which includes documents on disaster planning and sample disaster plans of several museums and libraries. The Disaster Resource Center and response page lists numerous resources. A worksheet for outlining a Disaster Plan is available at www.nedcc.org courtesy the Northeast Document Conservation Center. Disaster Planning template for libraries and archives can be obtained from AMIGOS www.amigos.org as well as from Michigan State University Libraries http://disaster.lib.msu.edu/.

Another resource that Michigan Alliance members have found to be very helpful in preparing a disaster plan is the Maines and Associates' Disaster Preparedness Plan Text Template for Museum, Archives and Libraries. The Plan Builder is a fill-in-the-selfs IBM/and Macintosh-compatible computer "workbook" for preparing an integrated museum or archives disaster plan. All you have to do is enter the information from your own site and print out the complete plan. Salvage safety instructions for various materials, including paper, photographs and artifacts, are included in the Disaster Plan, as are supplier lists, emergency services, conservation referral sources and a bibliography. The Plan Builder costs under $100 including shipping. For more information call 800 724-0073 or 607 257-1969.

A Flood/Hurricane Information packet can be obtained from the Heritage Preservation-on behalf of the National Task Force for Emergency Response-following Presidential disaster declarations. The information has been contributed by the American Institute for Conservation of Artistic and Historic Works, National Parks Service, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Western Association for Art Conservation. Tips for salvaging water-damaged valuables are available at http://heritagepreservation.org/programs/TFTIPS.HTM. Heritage Preservation for the National Task Force on Emergency Response updated and is distributing the booklet, Resources for Recovery: Post-Disaster Aid for Cultural Institutions, that is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in partnership with the Small Business Administration. The booklet is organized by agency and features a list of online resources. Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Problems in Archives Kits (PAKS) contains materials especially relevant to institutions and/or geographic regions formulating disaster plans or actually attempting to cope with disasters. For a copy, contact the Society of American Archivists at www.archivists.org/.

National Task Force on Emergency Response: Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage's Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel» is available through Heritage Preservation. This is an interactive slide chart designed to provide staff at cultural institutions with quick access to essential information on protecting and salvaging collections. The information was developed and reviewed by the National Task Force on Emergency Response consisting of preservation and conservation professionals and is endorsed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and seven other federal agencies and national service organizations. The task force was a joint public-private initiative of FEMA, The Getty Conservation Institute and Heritage Preservation with major funding provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, additional support from The St. Paul Companies, Inc. and an anonymous foundation. An interactive copy of the Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel may be accessed through FEMA's web site www.fema.gov/r-n-r/ers-wl.htm. Wheels may be purchased from Heritage Preservation at $10.95 each or $9.95 for 10 or more, special nonprofit/government rate is $6.95 each or $5.95 for 10 or more. Price includes postage and handling for delivery in the United States. Mexico and Canada add a $1.00 for postage and International air add $3.00. Call 888 979.2233 to place an order. See Collections Care, Salvage and Recovery Information for additional resource materials and assistance.