Preserving the Collection: Disaster Planning, Response & Recovery

Hurricane season is almost here. While most coastal institutions are ready to weather most storms, every few years there are hurricanes that are far more devastating than others, like Hurricane Katrina. The toll that hurricane took on New Orleans and the surrounding area was massive; but as with any disaster, it's important to look back and think on the lessons that can be taken from the situation. From 2006-2010, the Cinema Studies program at NYU took a close look at both the disaster and recovery process, with a focus on film and media. In the words of the researchers involved: "The reports and presentations surrounding this project stress the idea that “You can’t prepare for everything,” while offering simple methods of creating defense, security, and preparation that can be used in numerous circumstances." https://tisch.nyu.edu/cinema-studies/miap/research-outreach/research/disaster/disaster-katrina

  This Handbook on Emergency Procedures by the International Council of Museums discusses a wide range of disasters - from natural disasters like flooding and fires, to human-caused disasters from theft and vandalism to acts of terrorism. Each section briefly covers procedures for staff, then for the collection. https://icms.mini.icom.museum/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2022/05/Handbook-Disaster-Resilience_completed-2018.pdf

  This document, Primer on Disaster Preparedness, Management, and Response by the National Parks Service pulls together information from several reputable sources. It briefly discusses the types of emergency situations your facility may face, then focuses on the problems that may be encountered by book and paper resources, how various problems can be mitigated, and how staff can begin recovery procedures from a disaster. https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/primer/primintro.html

These Conserve-o-Grams by the National Parks Service have great, basic information on staff procedures and telephone lists that can be adapted to your facility.    Museum Staff Emergency Procedures: A Sample Telephone List: https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/21-10.pdf     Museum Staff Emergency Procedures: A Sample Emergency "Flip Chart": https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/21-11.pdf

Whether you're making improvements to your facility, digitizing your collection, or in recovery mode, the Texas Historical Commission has a great list of resources for grants and fundraising on their website: https://www.thc.texas.gov/preserve/projects-and-programs/museum-assistance/grants-funding

Are you looking to create or improve your site's facility security plan? The Texas Historical Commission has a webinar coming up on Tuesday, March 21 on developing a plan to protect your personnel, physical assets, and information. Visit this link to register: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2706248189724427865

  A single disaster can take lifetimes to fix. In1973 a fire at the National Personnel Record Center's building destroyed 18 million military personnel files. Six million more were recovered with varying degrees of fire and water damage. The new building, opened in 2011, houses a state-of-the-art preservation center, where the important work of preserving and conserving these records is ongoing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xNvAudiRwU