About

The Texas Collections Emergency Resource Alliance (TX-CERA) is an affiliation of institutions and professionals that support and advocate for the preservation of Texas cultural heritage. TX-CERA promotes emergency planning followed by training in response and recovery efforts and techniques. We help to mitigate the loss of collections due to disaster by offering professional development workshops, consultations, and institutional networking statewide. TX-CERA is classified as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

TX-CERA is a revival of the State of Texas Alliance for Response Team (START), which has joined with the Galveston – Houston Area Alliance for Response in an effort to organize an effective statewide organization. TX-CERA is part of the Alliance for Response Network and is an Associate Member of the Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (Texas VOAD). Our organization is made up of conservators, archivists, librarians, curators, collection managers, first responders, and safety and security staff who volunteer their time to educate about and organize emergency response for cultural heritage. 

• To increase awareness of the need for disaster planning and support for public collections. 

• To represent the interests of the cultural community in state and local Emergency Management planning, resource allocation and response.

• To develop a Roster of TX-CERA members who are available to help public institutions with Emergency Planning and Response.

• To train a team of volunteers, called Texas Heritage Responders, who can work within ICS, understand the principles of emergency response, and are able to respond to an emergency or disaster with effective support for cultural institutions.