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Risk Assessment and Salvage Guide

3.0 Preparedness

3.1 Emergency team

The objective of an emergency plan is to be as prepared as possible for something which is, for the most part, unpredictable. The first step in this is to create an emergency team. The composition of this team will be different for each institution. The Smithsonian Institute recommends that the emergency team consist primarily of:

  • Emergency Co-ordinator
  • Recovery Co-ordinator
  • Registrar

These in turn should be assisted by an Assistant to the Emergency Co-ordinator, Pre-trained Work Unit Leaders and Work Unit Members. Each member should have nominated deputies, should they be unavailable, and each member should have a copy of the emergency plan and all necessary keys.

The Emergency Co-ordinator, as team leader, would be responsible for determining whether a situation is deemed an emergency, and if so, setting the salvage plan in motion. They would be responsible for the operation, for instructing team leaders, for making phone calls, requesting materials etc, and as such should be a person of recognised authority.

The Recovery Co-ordinator would, in conjunction with the Registrar, and the Work Unit Leaders supervise the salvage operation, including removal of items, relocation, drying, and liaison with conservators.

The Registrar would work with the Recovery Co-ordinator, supervising the removal of materials, making sure they are accurately recorded, making sure the entire operation is documented and photographed (if necessary).

3.2 Familiarisation and Training

In preparing for an emergency the team should all be familiar with the entire emergency plan, not just the sections relevant to their duties. They should ensure that all other personnel involved are aware of their duties. They should ensure that all staff are trained in evacuation procedures, security procedures etc. They should ensure that the prevention check-list (see above) is incorporated into general practice. They should maintain regular contact with emergency services, arranging for inspection by the local fire officer, supplying them with floor plans and information relating to the type of material in your collection, perhaps stressing the importance of salvaging valuable material within a specific period of time. They should also be informed of any subsequent changes affecting the layout of your building.

3.3 Specific Considerations

The emergency team should be intimately familiar with the collection. They need to prioritise material in terms of its value to the institution, so saving valuable time should an emergency occur. For example material that is rare or unique would take precedence over material that can be easily and cheaply replaced. Some priorities need to be determined in accordance with the composition of the material in the collection. Materials that have special considerations should be noted so that they can be salvaged accordingly. For example materials that contain water-soluble elements should be identified, as this will reduce time wasted at the assessment stage of an actual emergency. This list of priorities should not be attached to the general emergency plan for security reasons, but should be kept by the emergency team members, and possibly the work unit team leaders. Copies of lists, catalogues and floor plans pertaining to the collection should also be attached to the emergency plan.

3.4 Communication Blueprint

The emergency team also needs to establish a telephone contact chain, copies of which should be held by all members of the team. This should consist of the names and phone numbers of the emergency team members, and volunteers, the phone numbers (in and out of hours) and contact names of all services, e.g. cold stores, mobile freezer units etc, and numbers for conservators relevant to your collection. It should also take the form of a flow chart, depicting the order in which people should be called.

3.5 Awareness Culture

Having an emergency plan is of no use if it is subsequently filed away and forgotten about. Staff must all be made aware of its existence and location. Staff must familiarise themselves with the plan, and practice drills are advisable. Emergency procedures, including prevention and reaction, should be incorporated into the training of all new staff members. Likewise contact chains and disaster team personnel lists need to be updated as staff leave. Similarly the plan should be updated as changes in the institution occur, as new material is added etc. The entire plan should be reviewed on an annual basis as part of the prevention checklist.

As a emergency is not guaranteed to strike during office hours it is important that the emergency team form professional relationships, such as the establishing of credit facilities, with the suppliers of services and materials that they might need. For example storage space in freezer units should be sourced and agreed upon, suppliers of mobile freezers, suppliers of cleaning equipment, suppliers of cartons etc.

3.6 Emergency Supplies

Finally a vital aspect of preparation is the emergency supplies. The emergency team should have at its disposal the maximum amount of equipment to hand to distribute to workers to enable the recovery process to begin in as short a space of time as possible. The following list is a sample of items that would be useful to have on site:

  • Water-pump
  • Vacuum
  • Temperature/humidity monitor
  • Freezer Wrap
  • Waxed paper
  • Sheets of blotting paper
  • Masking and Duct tape
  • Rubber boots
  • Plastic Cartons (milk crates)
    Rubber Gloves
  • Wellington boots
  • Towels
  • Paper towels
  • Plastic sheeting (to cover book stacks)
  • Torches
  • Mops
  • Clipboards
  • Notebooks
  • Pens, pencils, markers
  • Labels
  • First aid kit
  • Cleaning products

For more information on preparing your institution for an emergency try
the following links: