Do One Thing for Emergency Preparedness

In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma provided a wake-up call. More recently, severe storms reminded us that disaster can strike with little warning. The Heritage Health Index, released soon after the hurricanes, reported that few institutions are really prepared for a disaster. It’s easy to put off disaster planning, but you can take one simple step to prepare for disaster this MayDay.

Here are some MayDay ideas from the Heritage Emergency National Task Force:

· If you have a disaster plan, dust it off and bring it up to date.

· If you don’t have a plan, make a timeline for developing one.

· Get to know your local firefighters and police. Invite them to tour your institution and give pointers on safety and preparedness. A poster outlining tips for working with emergency responders is available from the Task Force at www.heritagepreservation.org/catalog/.

· Identify the three biggest risks to your collection or building (such as leaking water pipes, heavy snow, or power failure) and outline steps to mitigate them.

· Conduct a building evacuation drill and evaluate the results.

· Update your staff contact information and create a wallet-size version of your emergency contact roster. See the Pocket Response Plan (TM) at www.statearchivists.org/prepare/framework/prep.htm.

· Eliminate hazards such as storage in hallways, blocked fire exits, or improper storage of paints or solvents.

· Provide staff with easily accessible disaster response information, such as www.heritageemergency.org.

· Join forces with nearby institutions and agree to assist each other in case of a disaster.

· Establish a method of identifying objects that are most important to your mission, irreplaceable, or most fragile, making evacuation simpler when disaster hits.

· Register for a free course to learn how your institution fits into existing emergency response protocols. A list is available at www.heritagepreservation.org/lessons/courses.html.

Any organization can participate in MayDay … You can make a difference.

-posted April 14, 2008-