DISASTER PLANNING:

An Overview

Eileen E. Brady

Washington State University

brady@wsu.edu

Likely Events in the Northwest

• Fire (most frequent cause of disaster in libraries/archives)/wildfires

• Floods/rain storms

• Earthquake

• Mudslide

• Volcanic eruption

Likely Events in the Northwest (cont’d)

• Tornado/high winds

• Tsunami

• Wildfires

• Building failures (burst pipes/sewage, HVAC

problems, electrical/construction accidents)

• Terrorism

Fire

Los Angles Public Library

4/29/1986

San Diego Aerospace Museum, Balboa Park

San Diego, California

2/22/1978

Flood

Colorado State University,

Fort Collins

7/28/1997

Flood

University of Hawaii, Manoa

October 30, 2004

Earthquake

The Evergreen State College Library

Olympia Earthquake

2/28/2001

                                                           

  

                                                           

  

                                                           

  

                                                           

  

                                                                                                                                

                         

The Main Stacks

                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                

                         

Los Angeles area libraries after the

Northridge, CA earthquake

1/17/1994

EMERGENCY OR DISASTER?

• Emergency: An unanticipated or

threatening event that requires action.

• Disaster: An emergency that gets out of

control. A large-scale calamity that

requires immediate action. It may result in

significant loss, damage or destruction.

Definitions

• Prevention

• Preparation

• Response

• Recovery

• Salvage

• Follow Through

Prevention

• Assign emergency responsibility• Coordinate with local agencies/personnel

• Assess potential sources of emergencies & identify hazards

• Assess collection assets & set priorities• Assess prevention & protection needs• Consider fiscal implications• Implement when possible

Preparation

• Prepare immediate response summary & telephone tree

• Identify insurance & emergency funds

• Purchase & distribute in-house supplies

• Identify sources of supplies, services, & experts

Reaction to EmergenciesPeople react in one of three ways:

Freeze

Flight

Fight

Communication Plan• Up-to-date office, home, cell phones, and

pager numbers kept with Emergency Response plan at work and elsewhere (e.g. car trunk)

• Phone trees, email/instant messaging, “reverse 911”

• Emergency recordings on established phone line, out of state emergency number

• Have a crisis communication plan in place

Emergency Contact Information for All Staff and Volunteers

• In the event of injury or death, who should be called? Where do they want to be treated?

• Keep contact numbers, emergency call lists readily available in case of evacuation. Have a backup set offsite.

• Life safety comes first!

First Response Action List

Include:

• Who to call

• What to say

• What actions should be taken firste.g. Step-by-step instructions forgas, water, fire sprinklers, HVAC, etc.

Do you know where the controls are and how to work them or who to call?

Your Disaster Plan Should Cover People and Collections

• Coordinate your plan with your larger institution’s plan

• Keep it up-to-date

• Distribute multiple copies

• Include procedures to handle most likely emergencies

• Cover both people and collections

Train Staff to Respond to the Most Likely Emergencies

• All staff must know their roles in an emergency

• Train beyond evacuation drills• Encourage staff to have emergency plans

for their families• Conduct a disaster exercise or drill at least

annually• Use every event as a “test” of your

preparedness

Insurance

• Does your institution have insurance? Find out!

• What does it cover – buildings, equipment, collections? What type of damage?

• What type of insurance – commercial, self-insured, or both?

• What emergency actions can you take without jeopardizing your coverage?

Disaster Supplies for Staff

• Is your first aid kit adequate for the number of people in your unit/institution?

Don’t forget your patrons.

• Do you have supplies for large wounds, insect bites, allergic reactions, eye injuries?

• Do you have extra gloves (latex and nitrile)?

• Masks? Dust and Hepa?

Collection Disaster Supplies

• Immediate response supplies for water emergencies– Plastic sheeting– Tape– Scissors– Buckets, mops, sponges– Pack out supplies, e.g. boxes (not stored in

the basement!)

Are you ready to roll!

Mobility and accessibility

Large Emergencies

• Large number and types of supplies for other collections-related emergencies

• List of supplies for large scale needs

• List of suppliers and services

• List of specialists or consultants in the area/region

Salvage Priorities for Collections, Files and Equipment

• What are the most important collections?

• What are their specific needs in a disaster?

• Are there critical files and/or equipment?

Survey Your Building for Risks

• Conduct an internal and external survey of your building(s)

• Decide what you can do to protect or lessen damage to collections

Establish Collaborative Relationships

• Establish relationships within you institution, city, country region

• Look to the neighboring museums/libraries

• Invite emergency responders to your institution for orientation to your building and collection value

• Bring groups with common goals together

• Form strategic partnerships in advance

Be PREpared

Questions?

Eileen E. Brady

Manager, Owen Science & Engineering Library Collection Preservation and

Access, and Security

Washington State University

Pullman, WA 99164-3200brady@wsu.edu

(509-335-4080)