Resources

FEMA describes “mitigation” as the "effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters." In order for mitigation to be effective, institutions should take action now—before the next disaster—to reduce loss or risk to collections later (analyze risk, reduce risk, and insure against risk).

• Identify Potential Threats and Hazards: Protect internal interests by identifying potential hazards to building sites and collections. 

• Perform Risk and Disaster Assessments: Perform credible risk assessments using scientifically valid and widely used risk assessment techniques. A risk assessment, whether detailed or broad, is a tool to aid in prioritizing resources for preserving the collection. 

• Analyze and Incorporate Findings: Incorporate risk, disaster, and hazard assessments into the Emergency Planning process. 

Resources

• American Institute of Conservation (AIC), Heritage Emergency Program, Risk Evaluation and Planning Program 

• The Nonprofit Risk Management Center offers an online risk management tutorial and a Resource Center which offers fact sheets on risk management, liability, and insurance. 

• Adapted from Hidden Hazards: The Dark Side of Collections, 2001 American Institute for Conservation Annual Meeting; comprehensive list published in Smithsonian Safety Manual, Chapter 24: Collection-Based Hazards. 

• Assess and Manage Risk In Collections Care - SHARE Museums East - A Collections How to Guide

• ICCROM - A Guide To Risk Management of Cultural Heritage

• Museum of London - Hazards In Collections E-Tool

• Museum of London & Birmingham Museums - Risk Awareness Profiling Tool (RAPT)

Past Webinars

• Part 1 of our two-part webinar series “Recovering from a Disaster: Procuring Insurance and Managing Risk Before a Disaster Occurs”?  

• Texas Historical Commission & TX-CERA - Understanding and Upgrading Your Collection Preservation Environment

• Texas Historical Commission, the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training & TX-CERA - Weathering the Storm: Hurricane Preparations for Cultural Institutions Webinar 

Sample Forms, Templates and Documents

• National Museum of Australia - Risk Assessment Matrix

• The National Archives and Records Administration - Fire Safety Self-Inspection Form for Cultural Institutions

• FAIC Risk Evaluation & Planning Program - Site Questionnaire 

• FAIC Risk Evaluation & Planning Program - Risk Prioritization Worksheet

According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, an Emergency Preparedness Plan establishes arrangements in advance to enable timely, effective, and appropriate responses to hazardous events or emerging disaster situations.  It provides the overall strategy for minimizing the impact of an emergency,  describes the organization and its collections, and clearly defines staff roles in varying emergency situations. An emergency plan will only be effective if your staff understand the plan and have the resources to implement it. 

This includes activities such as: 

• Create A Contact List: Creates a chain of command and ensures that the authority to make decisions concerning collections can be done during off-hours 

• Create An Inventory and Priority List of Collections: Include types of collections, access restrictions and locations and then share this information with first responders

• Create An Equipment and Supply Cache: Have at least a basic emergency supply kit available on-site - e.g. plastic sheeting, paper towels, nitrile gloves, masks

• Identify Alternate Collection Storage or Triage Locations: Have a safe alternate place to take collections to remove them from further potential harm

• Develop A List of Emergency Vendors: Have contracts and priority list information in place prior to an event or incident to expedite recovery (this can include mutual aid agreements between institutions)

• Share and Practice the Emergency Plan: Every staff member should know the institution's emergency procedures and  understand their role in implementing them

Resources

• Polygon Group “Essential Guide to Flood Planning and Preparation”

• Smithsonian Emergency Plan

• Texas Historical Commission - Emergency Preparedness Checklist

• Council of State Archivists - Emergency Preparedness

• CARLI - Supplies and Tools for Library Disaster Response

• Harvard Library - Library Collections Emergency Response Supplies

• Texas Association of Museums: PREP Planning for Response & Emergency Preparedness 

• Building An Emergency Plan: A Guide for Museums and Other Cultural Institutions 

• American Institute of Conservation (AIC), Heritage Emergency Program, Risk Evaluation and Planning Program 

• National Park Service (NPS), Museum Handbook, Part I: Museum Collections, Ch. 10c-f: Emergency Planning 

• Ready.gov - Hurricanes

Sample Forms and Documents (coming soon)

• Texas Association of Museums (TAM) Handout - Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity Planning 

• Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) - Water Emergency Supply Kit List

First and foremost, personal safety is more important than any collection. No one should be allowed into an affected area until emergency service personnel have declared the space to be safe. This may take time. Use this time to revisit your institution's emergency plan, contact and assemble your response team, and begin plans for your salvage efforts. 

***Special Note from the American Institute for Conservation***

Even after the building is deemed safe to enter, you still have to consider the following hazards:

• Exposed hazardous materials such as:

  • asbestos from insulation, and other building materials

  • polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in some transformers and in old fluorescent light bulbs

  • lead from lead paints

  • mercury and mercury vapor from fluorescent lights

  • broken glass, nails and other debris.

Beyond building issues, the collections themselves may also be hazardous. Zoological collections may contain residues of old pesticides including heavy metals such as arsenic and mercuric compounds, or other pesticides like DDT, paradichlorobenzene, or naphthalene. Specimens themselves may be stored in formaldehyde, ethanol, and/or isopropanol.

In the case of tropical storms and flooding, the flood waters may also have left hazardous residues such as sewage or heavy metals.

AIC Response Suggestions:

• Initial Damage Assessments (Document and Photograph) - It is important to take the time to document the emergency from the beginning. Photographic and written accounts will help to capture information that may otherwise be forgotten in the rush to salvage your collection. Incident records will not only help you learn from the event, but also provide needed documentation for questions of liability and insurance. The initial damage assessment phase begins as soon as access to the site of the incident is granted. Damage assessment documentation should capture the broad picture quickly, without getting caught up in details. 

• Incident Reports - Incident reports will help chronicle the response and salvage efforts, in addition to outlining damages to the building and collection. An incident record can be as simple as notes on a legal pad, to forms specific to your incident's needs.

• Salvage Priorities - Salvage priorities may vary, but include vital institutional documents, items on loan, the unique and valuable objects previously listed on the priority list, fragile objects or those made from vulnerable materials.

Resources

• MuseumPests.net - Integrated Pest Management Working Group

• What's Eating Your Collection?

• FAIC Emergency Response & Salvage Wheel ($10)

• AIC - Emergency! If You're First

• CCAHA - Introduction to the Incident Command System

Past Webinars

• Part 2 of our two-part webinar series “Disaster Response: Insurance Claims and Collections Recovery”? 

Sample Forms and Documents  (coming soon)

• AIC - Initial Damage Assessment Record

It is important to know that the recovery process may take time. The goal is to stabilize the collection and avoid or reduce future risk. This may include: building repairs or renovations, conservation of the collection, or applications for grants or relief funding to support recovery efforts. Due to the wide scope of variables for each event, it is important to speak with a conservator or other specialist about the best ways to address each individual incident.

Resources

• American Institute for Conservation (AIC) - Find A Conservator

• Walsh, Betty C.  “Salvage Operations for Water Damaged Collections.” WAAC (Western Association for Art Conservation) Newsletter, Vol. 19, No. 2: (May 1997), pp. 12-23 (plus chart) reprinted Sept. 05. 

• FEMA - Salvaging Water-Damaged Family Valuables and Heirlooms

• FEMA - After the Fire: Advice For Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures

• National Film and Sound Archive of Australia - First Aid for Water Damage

• National Archives - Objects Recovery

• National Park Service (NPS) - Conserve O Grams

• Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) - Natural Disaster Recovery Resources

• American Alliance of Museums (AAM) - Finding Financial Relief and Support

• Grants Plus - Emergency Grant Opportunities for Museums

• Texas Historical Commission (THC) - Grants and Fundraising

• American Institute for Conservation (AIC) - Funding Resources

• Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) - Salvaging Photographs (Spanish)

• Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) - Salvaging Art on Paper (Spanish)

• TX-CERA Quick Guide to Wet Salvage Methods Poster  - Books

• TX-CERA Quick Guide to Wet Salvage Methods Poster - Paintings

• TX-CERA Quick Guide to Wet Salvage Methods Poster - Photographic Materials

• TX-CERA Quick Guide to Wet Salvage Methods Poster - Magnetic/Optical Media

• Image Permanence Institute - Response and Recovery of Fine-Art Inkjet Prints during Water Emergencies 

• Colorado-Wyoming Association of Museums - Ash Cleanup for Museums

Sample Forms and Documents  (coming soon)

Nothing is worth the risk of injury or exposure. According to OSHA, the topic of occupational health and safety refers to programs, guidelines and procedures that protect the safety, welfare and health of any person engaged in work or employment. For cultural institutions, having a solid understanding of your institution's risks and hazards will allow you to better communicate your emergency plans to employees, management, and board members and create a safe working environment for staff, researchers, volunteers and the general public.

Resources

• Adapted from Hidden Hazards: The Dark Side of Collections, 2001 American Institute for Conservation Annual Meeting; comprehensive list published in Smithsonian Safety Manual, Chapter 24: Collection-Based Hazards. 

• AIC Wiki - PPE Guide

• Museum of London - Hazards In Collections E-Tool

• OSHA Free Museum On-Site Consultation 

• Asbestos and Natural Disasters Guide by The Mesothelioma Center

Sample Forms and Documents (coming soon)