DISASTER PLANNING: An Overview

1. DISASTER PLANNING:An Overview Eileen E. Brady Washington State University brady@wsu.edu

2. Likely Events in the Northwest • Fire (most frequent cause of disaster in libraries/archives)/wildfires • Floods/rain storms • Earthquake • Mudslide • Volcanic eruption

3. Likely Events in the Northwest (cont’d) • Tornado/high winds • Tsunami • Wildfires • Building failures (burst pipes/sewage, HVAC problems, electrical/construction accidents) • Terrorism

4. Fire Los Angles Public Library 4/29/1986

7. San Diego Aerospace Museum, Balboa Park San Diego, California 2/22/1978

9. Flood Colorado State University, Fort Collins 7/28/1997

12. Flood University of Hawaii, Manoa October 30, 2004

14. EarthquakeThe Evergreen State College Library Olympia Earthquake 2/28/2001

15. Last update: March 7, 2001This is a photo gallery of the damage incurred by the Olympia Earthquake of 2001 to the Main Stacks, Reference, and Periodicals areas of the library. Photographs taken by Barbara Bergquist. The Reference/Law Area Stacks The Main Stacks          Return to GovDocs/Maps Olympia Earthquake, 2001         Return to GovDocs/Maps

16. Los Angeles area libraries after the Northridge, CA earthquake 1/17/1994

19. 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.

20. Definitions • Prevention • Preparation • Response • Recovery • Salvage • Follow Through

21. 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

22. Preparation • Prepare immediate response summary & telephone tree • Identify insurance & emergency funds • Purchase & distribute in-house supplies • Identify sources of supplies, services, & experts

23. Reaction to Emergencies People react in one of three ways: Freeze Flight Fight

24. 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 Communication Plan

25. 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!

26. First Response Action List Include: • Who to call • What to say • What actions should be taken first e.g. Step-by-step instructions for gas, water, fire sprinklers, HVAC, etc. Do you know where the controls are and how to work them or who to call?

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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?

30. 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?

31. 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!)

34. Are you ready to roll! Mobility and accessibility

36. 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

38. 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?

40. 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

41. 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

42. Be PREpared

43. Questions? Eileen E. Brady Manager, Owen Science & Engineering Library Collection Preservation and Access, and Security Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-3200 brady@wsu.edu (509-335-4080)