Disaster Planning Resources for Vermont's Cultural Institutions

This resource book is part of the Vermont Museum and Gallery Alliance's new focus on disaster response for libraries, historical societies, town clerk's offices, museums, galleries, and other institutions that care for Vermont's cultural treasures. In the field of Emergency Management, there are four areas of focus: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Mitigation is the ongoing effort to lessen the impact of disasters on people and property. The first step in lessening the impact of disasters is to assess hazards or risks and to then remove as many as possible. This resource book has some descriptions of common hazards, suggestions for prevention, and a hazard self-assessment.

Preparedness is all about planning and being ready to react promptly and effectively in the event of an emergency. To be prepared, you must have a plan and a schedule for practicing it. This resource book has a sample rapid response form for you to fill out which will help in the event of an emergency. A more detailed disaster plan should be developed based on the rapid response form and approved by the board of directors. We encourage you to share your disaster plans with neighboring cultural institutions such as your town clerk's office or library.

A comprehensive resource list is being developed to support the information needed in filling out the rapid response form and will be available on our website. The list will be organized by regional planning districts and the information should help you with filling in your rapid response form as well as developing your institutional disaster plan.

Response to a disaster or emergency will be effective and efficient if the responders are trained and good communication avenues exist. Each town in Vermont has emergency responders (fire and police), and we encourage you to have them tour your facility and collections and be familiar with your disaster plan.

Recovery after a disaster can be short or long term. This book has information to help with both situations ranging from sources for freezers to conservators to help with treatment.

VMGA has created a loosely formed Vermont Emergency Response Team for Cultural Institutions to provide assistance to organizations during and after a disaster. For more information, contact the VMGA office (802) 475-2022 x114; vccp@sover.net.

We encourage you to make full use of this book by writing a disaster plan, putting it into action and then sharing it with your local emergency officials and neighbors.

The Vermont Museum and Gallery Alliance (VMGA) is a private, non-profit organization created in 1985 to raise the level of professionalism in Vermont's small, rural museums, historical societies and art galleries through mentorships, workshops, networking with parallel organizations within state, and on-site training. VMGA has a proven track record in providing leadership, coordination and support for the small, rural cultural institutions throughout Vermont.

This resource book has been a partnership of VMGA and the Vermont Historical Records Advisory Board under a grant from the NHPRC. The Vermont Historical Records Advisory Board supports the identification, preservation, and use of Vermont records with continuing or historical value. A gubernatorially appointed board of volunteers, since 1977 VHRAB has helped bring $642,312 in National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) funds to Vermont to assist the state's repositories and archivists. The Board is chaired by the Vermont State Archivist.

Introduction