Leading Recovery Efforts

Disaster doesn't have to mean the end.

I kept the devastating picture of the Notre Dame fire up in this week's newsletter not only for effect, but because it's a great reminder that stepping up and leading recovery efforts in the aftermath of disaster is necessary in order to save what we love. The heroes of the Notre Dame fire are doing just that, and it will be restored to its former glory. But let's talk for a moment about your collection, your space. Do you have a plan in place for disaster recovery efforts?

Any facility must have a disaster plan and must train all its employees and volunteers on that plan. What you don't want to do is reduce manpower during recovery/cleanup. It's an all-hands-on-deck situation, and that includes your volunteers and interns. These people have dedicated their free time to learning from you, so assess their skills and put them to work. It's great experience for them, and more manpower for you.

But first, assess the damage. Make sure spaces are safe by checking with city engineers if needed. Take pictures of everything before anyone touches anything. You have people to help, so divide and conquer: delegate someone to photograph, someone to document each quadrant, a few people to clean up, people to transport objects to a safe place, and someone to do some on-site computer work: location updates, attaching pictures, etc.

Have a couple people rehousing the objects that were moved to a safe location. This could include creating boxes, trays or padded rings. If damage to objects is severe, set them aside and enlist professional help. After all, that's why you added the line in your budget for conservation!

There are as many ways to protect objects as there are different types of objects to protect. So if you have a question on one of yours, please don't hesitate to call us today for a free consultation! (800) 715-8804