MayDay
Suggested Preparedness Activities
It's easy to put off disaster planning, but you can take one simple step to prepare for disaster this MayDay. Here are some 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 Heritage Preservation.
- Identify the three biggest risks to your collection or building (such as leaking water pipe, 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™ (PReP™) at www.statearchivists.org/prepare/framework/prep.htm.
- Eliminate hazards such as boxes and furniture in hallways, blocked fire exits, or improper storage of paints or solvents.
- Join forces with nearby institutions and develop a protocol for helping each other in case of a disaster.
- Identify and label priority collections and objects for evacuation during emergencies. Which are most important to your mission, irreplaceable, or most fragile?
- 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.
Need more ideas?
Learn what organizations are doing for MayDay 2009.
See preparedness tips from small museums participating in Heritage Preservation’s Risk Evaluation and Planning Program.
View recommendations for integrating historic preservation concerns into local plans.