Disaster Recovery - Just a beginning (notes from Denver IUG 14 Pre-conference)

1. Disaster Recovery -Just a beginning(notes from Denver IUG 14Pre-conference) Christine Pouncey June 2, 2006

2. Prevention • Routine Inspections • Safety Practices • Checks of Temp, Humidity, and environmental controls • Proper storage • Security Checks • Staff familiarity with building layout • Handbook including: • Emergency Contact Numbers of All Staff • Contact information for Vendors and Recovery Helpers • List of supplies and their locations (redundancy) • Disaster Plan with a specific Salvage Plan

3. Ongoing tasks • Contact sources of supplies to explain recovery needs (annually) • Disaster plan reviewed, updated, and redistributed (annually) • Multiple types of disasters planned for • fire, flood, tornado, blizzard, terrorist, pandemic • Training in recovery techniques and mandatory refresher training • Establish reciprocal arrangements with other institutions • ILL, co-hosting, housing workers. etc

4. Have a Team • List of members w/alternatives • staff members may not be available do to personal or family concerns/injuries • Team Leaders and Subleaders • all should be cross-trained, more than one person needs to know how to do each recovery task and the entire plan well enough to pinch hit • Outline areas of responsibility • Who handles budgeting, money flow, media contacts, contacting vendors, insurance, etc • Importance of drills – practice while building is occupied • Outline responsibilities for patron safety • leave the building, don’t leave the building, stairs, evac-chairs

5. When Disaster Strikes • Stage 1 - Assess damage • Do a walk-thru (pictures & notes) • Stage 2 - Make outside contacts • Stage 3 - Stabilize the environment • Stage 4 - Activate teams • Stage 5 - Restore the area (removal and replacement) • Stage 6 – Salvage • Priorities should predetermined as part of the disaster plan and regularly reviewed • Extensive instructions for handling damaged materials (videos, books, etc) • Responses to different types of damage • Record Keeping – what when where