Alliance for Response Projects Blossom
The Alliance for Response Forums have been effective on multiple levels: inspiring museums and libraries to begin disaster planning, fostering new partnerships in communities, and influencing local emergency practices and policy. The new year has brought much progress:
Atlanta: The Heritage Emergency Response Alliance (HERA) is meeting four times a year—twice for planning and twice to offer educational programs for the metro Atlanta area. In early March, HERA sponsored a successful “table top” training exercise using a fire at a local museum as the scenario. Nearly 50 people attended, including a good number of first responders. One of the results of that meeting was that first responders used HERA’s list-serv to find out about damage to cultural institutions after March tornadoes struck metro Atlanta. HERA volunteers used their list-serv to report damage and coordinate assistance. The group rallied to help Emory University and the offices of the Atlanta Daily World salvage current and historical records. The World, an African-American newspaper in its 80th year of publishing, lost its roof during the March 14th tornado.
Philadelphia: The Alliance for Response local planning committee offered a half-day Disaster Plan Writing Retreat on March 19. Nearly 30 people signed up to review emergency plan essentials and get advice on improving individual plans. The disaster recovery firm Munters sponsored the refreshments. The group continues to work with the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, and progress is being made toward gaining a “seat” for cultural heritage at the city’s emergency operations center.
Boston: The Cultural Emergency Management Team (CEMT) is taking a more practical approach to meeting some of its ambitious goals, forming two subcommittees to undertake specific tasks. The Curriculum Development Subcommittee is charged with developing educational resources that can strengthen understanding and cooperation between the cultural and emergency management communities in Greater Boston, and sharing those resources regionally and nationally. The subcommittee will present the first of their training modules, “Protecting Our Cultural Heritage,” to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Team in the fall. The Resources Subcommittee is developing a clearinghouse to connect people and resources in the Boston area and promote connections with emergency responders. The full CEMT group will continue to meet quarterly.