“Our natural, cultural, and historic resources include irreplaceable documents, books, photographs, buildings…In the aftermath of a disaster, these resources can help restore a sense of identity and normalcy, provide an economic anchor during the long-term recovery, and sustain and heal distressed communities.” -The COSTEP Starter Kit
Resources are organized by disaster phase.
Readiness: What can you do to prepare before a disaster hits? Find out about preparedness and mitigation actions to ready yourself, your collections, and your institution for whatever may come.
Response: What do you do during a disaster? Follow these guidelines to take action in the midst of an emergency to ensure health and safety.
Recovery: What steps can you take to bounce back after a disaster? These resources can help you navigate the complexities of recovery funding, building restoration, collection salvage, and community healing.
Readiness
Conduct risk assessment
- Identify the hazards
- State of Vermont assesses natural hazards in the State Hazard Mitigation Plan (2023)
- Assess the risks
- Implement appropriate mitigation measures
- Monitor and reassess risks
More information and checklists:
FEMA’s Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) process
Risk assessment from Ready.gov
Heritage Preservation’s Risk Evaluation and Planning Program (REPP)
ArtsReady and dPlan’s library of emergency planning resources
Create or update emergency plan
- Council of State Archivists’ Pocket Response Plan, “PReP” templates:
- PReP template specific to Vermont public libraries
- PReP template specific to Vermont municipalities
- Vermont-specific simple disaster plan template
- dPlan, online disaster-planning template (requires annual subscription)
- Take the Department of Libraries introductory or intermediate disaster plan training for libraries, presented in conjunction with the Vermont Historical Records Program and VACDaRN
- Work through the Vermont Historical Records Program’s Emergency Preparedness Training Module
Build relationships with local emergency managers
- Working with Emergency Responders: Tips for Cultural Institutions from Heritage Preservation
Response
So You Think You Have Mold?: A practical guide outlining how to identify mold, assess risks, and take appropriate steps to address moisture and air-quality issues in your home or building.
Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative Resources: A curated library of preparedness, response, mitigation, and training materials from the Smithsonian (and partners such as the Heritage Emergency National Task Force and FEMA) designed to help museums, archives, and cultural stewards protect collections before, during, and after disasters.
First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis Handbook: A comprehensive handbook offering guidance, protocols, and strategies to help cultural-heritage professionals, institutions, volunteers, and emergency responders protect and safeguard tangible and intangible heritage during disasters and crises. It serves as both a training reference and a practical planning tool for emergency preparedness, damage assessment, salvage operations, and disaster response coordination.
Emergency Evacuation of Heritage Collections Handbook: A detailed manual offering step-by-step guidelines and strategies for safely evacuating cultural heritage collections during emergencies.
Salvage at Glance: A quick-reference chart of salvage methods for an array of media materials from books, paintings, and print documents to A/V recordings, photos, and computer media.
Society of American Archivists Disaster Planning and Response Resources: Information, training, and resources on disaster planning for archival repository employees.
American Institute for Conservation Disaster Response and Recovery Guide: Information and resources for responding to water damage, fire damage, and more, as well as immediate assistance in an emergency.
Recovery
Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative Resources: A curated library of preparedness, response, mitigation, and training materials from the Smithsonian (and partners such as the Heritage Emergency National Task Force and FEMA) designed to help museums, archives, and cultural stewards protect collections before, during, and after disasters.
American Institute for Conservation Disaster Response and Recovery Guide: Information and resources for responding to water damage, fire damage, and more, as well as immediate assistance in an emergency.
Society of American Archivists Documenting in Times of Crisis Resource Kit: Templates and documents to assist archivists in collecting materials on tragedies within their communities.
COSTEP MA's Format-Specific Recovery Resources: Information and resources on salvaging and recovering collections and media in a variety of formats, from books, paintings and textiles to film and electronic media.