Identify possible hazards (natural or man-made), determine vulnerability, define collection significance. This should be carried out by institution staff, insurance company, and emergency responders to maximise time/prioritise resources as well as identify mitigation strategies and perform cost-benefit analyses before a disaster occurs.

Take pro-active steps to limit your collection’s vulnerability to the risks identified. Schedule building repairs and preventive maintenance, check the building, AC, electrical systems regularly, improve collections storage (temperature/relative humidity monitors), perform preventive preservation (adding protective enclosures, covering objects), and reviewing handling and loan policies (to prevent damage from use or security issues).

Create an emergency preparedness and response plan (disaster plan) that includes identifying vulnerabilities to emergency situations, how to prevent or mitigate potential effects, outlines staff response to emergency situations, assigns collection salvage priorities, and provides information and procedures to be followed during recovery process. This should be easy-to-access, with emergency contacts and floor plans marked out, as well as done in conjunction with local emergency responders. An institution should also train a collections emergency team, hold share sessions and drills, as well as assemble emergency supplies.

Immediate actions taken in response to an emergency to prevent injury and further damage. This may include reporting the emergency, gathering supplies, stopping the source, establishing a communications network, and doing a collections assessment. This should be done with all parties involved, including a response team, facilities coordinator, administration team, collections manager, and conservators. Most importantly, stay safe and take care of your physical and mental health!

This is the process of returning building and collections to normal operation. It may take a while, but communication among all parties involved is vital to ensure the institution’s business continuity, financial recovery, collection salvage, and building recovery are prioritised. Be aware of health risks!