Emergency Planning and Response for Archives. An Archives Association of Ontario presentation by the Archives Advisor. Presented at Municipal Archives Interest Group meeting October 2013.
5. Why Have an Emergency Plan?
• Responsible for public, staff, collections building
safety.
• To anticipate potential risks.
• To eliminate, reduce or mitigate risks.
• To prepare for those that can’t be eliminated.
• To plan for recovery after the emergency.
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
6. Authority for Emergency Plan
• In Plan introduction state who has the authority
and responsibility for preparing, implementing
and updating the Plan.
• Designate roles and responsibilities for each
member of the Emergency Response Team.
• Does the Plan relate to any other Emergency Plan?
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
7. Double Up – Two for One
Preparation of emergency plan and a maintenance
plan for facility can be combined.
They share many of the same goals.
Saves duplication of effort.
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
8. Minimum Plan Components
Risk assessment – internal/external
Inspection routines
Maintenance schedules
Establish emergency response team
Training plan for staff in emergency response and
salvage procedures
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
9. Minimum Plan Components
Inventory of emergency supplies
List of emergency services
Regularly review/update plan
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
10. Risk Assessment
WATER
On a flood plain external
Water pipes in ceiling internal
Clogged/disconnected downspout external
Damaged shingles, flashing external
Improper grading around
building
external
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
11. Risk Assessment
FIRE
Lightning external
Defective wiring internal
Film crews internal
Construction/renovation project internal
Hazardous collection materials (e.g.
nitrate film, etc.)
internal
Arson external
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
12. Risk Assessment
THEFT AND VANDALISM
Remote location external
Shrubs, trees close to building external
Poor outside lighting external
Poor key control internal
Poor lock up procedures or training for staff/volunteers internal
Rentals, events both
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
13. Emergency Response Team
• In small institution staff may assume
more than one role. Clarify what roles are.
• One alternate for every team member
• Can include staff, volunteers, outside
specialists.
• Form a network of institutions to assist
each other in an emergency.
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
15. Response Team Key Roles
• Team Leader
• Building/Facilities Manager
• Security/Safety Coordinator
• Communications Coordinator
• Records Salvage Coordinator
• Financial/Administration Manager
• Media Liaison
• Team Recorder
• Relocation Coordinator
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
16. Training
All staff and volunteers aware of plan and
emergency response team members.
Schedule regular training on emergency
response, evacuation, recovery.
Connect with local emergency services and
municipality.
Consider regional co-operative training
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
18. First Response Procedures
Prepare brief instruction sheet or use flip cards.
Post beside all staff desks, work areas and at
reference desk.
Instructions should be brief, easy-to-read
directions on what to do first.
Telephone tree or list of Emergency Response
Team can also be appended to this sheet
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
19. Stabilize Environment
• Move dry material out of high RH areas OR install
fans and dehumidifiers to lower RH to normal
levels to prevent mould growth.
• Warm air dessicant driers may be required if area
of water damage is extensive and floors, ceilings
and walls also require drying.
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
21. Evaluate Salvage Priorities
Use triage system to determine priority.
Wet
Damp
Dry
- Most vulnerable to water damage
- Less vulnerable to water damage
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
22. Salvage Priorities
Based on:
• Susceptibility of media to water damage
• Intrinsic or research value of collection
• How much time and assistance you have.
• Monetary or legal value of the records.
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
24. Salvage Procedures For
• Stabilization of the building environment
• Stabilization of the collection by drying or freezing
• Packing collections if they must be moved off site
• Special handling precautions for collections
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
25. Recovery and Rehabilitation
• Once the emergency is under control and collections are
stabilized (dry or frozen) the next stage is recovery.
• Clean and if necessary decontaminate the building.
• Replace damaged equipment and furniture.
• Clean or repair collections.
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
26. Review Plans
Update regularly and when there are changes to
building, equipment, staff.
Retire old plans so no confusion about which is
current.
Emergency Response Team review plan annually.
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
27. Archives Emergency Response Network
(AERN)
• AAO has a network of regional response
groups of archives based on our chapters.
• AERN provides voluntary mutual assistance
for response and salvage in the event an
emergency affects a member archives.
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
28. How Archives Advisor Helps
Conducting risk assessments.
Developing emergency plans.
Providing information, advice and support for
response and salvage in an emergency.
Through PDC provides training.
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
29. Helpful Tools
• Salvage Operations by Betty Walsh available on
Canadian Council of Archives web site at
http://www.cdncouncilarchives.ca/salvage_en.pdf
• Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel available from
Heritage Preservation at
www.heritagepreservation.org
Emergency Preparedness and Response,
Copyright 2013 Archives Association of Ontario
Most emergencies could be prevented or mitigated by good inspection and maintenance routines and plans.
Risk assessment - : Walk through interior and exterior to look for potential risks and hazards. Do what you can to mitigate or eliminate hazards.Inspection Prepare checklists for regular daily, weekly, monthly, annual inspections and maintenance routines to ensure building and facilities are well maintained.Maintenance schedules – for HVAC, fire protection, security, building- learn them, see they are carried out when supposed to be
Emergency supplies: You don’t have time to research sources of supplies in emergency. Comprehensive inventory list should be prepared with sources of supplies even if you don’t keep them all stockpiled. Update list regularly. For supplies kept in stock keep them in one container and seal it so items don’t get “borrowed”Emergency Services list should include contact phone numbers and for emergency team day and night phone numbersAssets inventory: Prepare inventory of all records and of other valuable assets (equipment, computers, etc) that have value and could be lost or damaged in an emergency. This will also be time to prioritize what must be salvaged first and indicate this on the inventory list.Staff practices,training: Discuss and analyze staff policies and procedures to see if any of these pose a risk to the archival records. Make necessary changes to lower or eliminate risks.
This and following few slides are examples of some things to consider or look for in risk assessment
Renovation projects are also big risk for water damage.
Lest you think emergency response and salvage is glamorous!
Workshops can be organized through AAO chapters or request through the PDC. If enough people ask it will be organized.
Staff from Stratford/Perth Archives in training workshop for hands-on salvage procedures
In addition to installing dehumidifiers and fans you should be monitoring temp and RH so you know when conditions stabilize.
AAO Disaster Recovery Workshop 2010 – practicing hands-on salvage techniques to dry various media
Emergency Plans are living documents and need regular review and updates. Team Leader should do this or delegate staff member to be responsible for updates and distribution to rest of staff and anyone external who is on your response team (eg. A conservator)
Two tools. First is free download from CCA website. CCA also has famous “red book online as free PDF download, which contains chapter 5 on disaster planning and recovery.Emergency Response Wheel is not free but wheel plus Field Guide to Emergency response and DVD of short videos on various aspects of salvage and emergency response can be purchased for $35.00 . Makes great tool for staff training and to add to your emergency plan.Show wheel and guide
Dplan is a free online template that can help you write a customized disaster plan. Your password protected plan is then store on a secure server. Every six month you receive and email reminder to update the plan if needed.NEDCC also has a series of preservation leaflets that are free to download. 12 of these in section 3 Emergency Management relate to emergency planning and salvage.Connecting to Collections has a series of webinars and other resource materials posted on line at this website. Once you register t for the site you have free access to past webinar recordings and all the other resources provided for each course. This includes recent sessions on risk assessment and how to write a distaer plan.Forth link is to OMA site where you find webinar archives . Look for one titled Emergency & Disaster Plans & maintenance Manuels given Aug. 22, 2013 by Bill Nesbitt. Below that scroll down to series of PDF documents and under heading of Physical Plan you will find several documents with samples of emergency planning documents such as emergency supply list, risk assessment checklist, description of the jobs of emergency team, etc.
