Ready, Willing and Enabled: Disaster Preparedness & Response for Libraries

READY, WILLING, & ENABLED

Disaster Preparedness & Response for Libraries

Fall Workshops, October 2, 2015Joann Flick, Montana State Library Robin Suzor, MT Department of Public Health & Human Services: Emergency Medical Services for Children Program

Burlington County Library, Evesham branch, NJ – after Hurricane Sandy

Are you ready?

Paris Library, 1910

How did you do?

Wasatch Front Regional Council, photo: Farmington,

Utah

A disaster is any event that overwhelms local resources…

NY Public Library, 1948

What if…

Missoula Public Library

Library’s role?

Table top exercise: 15 minutes Divide into groups of 3-6 persons each Packet:

Scenario – what happened, who needs help Map Community resources

Decide how your library will respond: Immediately Within the first hour Within the first day, second day, third day…

A case study

Hurricane Sandy & NJ Libraries

Any public library that does not embrace its role as a disaster recovery center in the event of an emergency represents a lost opportunity to provide an essential service to the community – NJ State Library

Ports in a Storm – NJ Public Library presentation 2013

First Responders – Second Responders

Ports in a Storm – NJ Public Library presentation 2013

Library = Safe haven

Treasures

Hurricane Sandy – lessons learned Have a disaster response plan that is updated

annually: Work with your county emergency planner Write a one-page continuity of service plan – review that

twice per year Create a response-continuity team

Know shelter locations/resources Communications plan Specific resources/services your library can provide Keep your website/social media accessible Prioritized list for recovery of valuable & hard-t0-replace

materials in your collection Agreement in place with Belfor, BMS or Munters

Hurricane Sandy – lessons learned

Prepare & train staff At least one evacuation drill per year

Follow with a staff-wide assessment Include a table-top exercise

Know how to contact staff in an emergency; have them connect with the library as soon as they can

WESPAS – document-book recovery training

Prepare your facility Be sure your library is in line to get power and Internet access

restored ASAP Stock up – have an emergency kit ready Know your facility weaknesses – address them Mutual Aid agreements with other libraries

Hurricane Sandy – lessons learned Prepare your community

Provide information on disaster planning in your community; help promote disaster preparedness September is disaster preparedness month October is fire safety month

Partner with First Responders and emergency planners in your area

Host/attend a CERT training

Pediatric issues during a disaster Temporary safe have Resources to other shelters in the

community: books, toys, programs Temporary vs. Long Term shelter

procedures The role of local authorities Red Cross & FEMA

Pediatric issues during a disaster Unaccompanied minors

Disaster response laws/regulations go into effect during an emergency

Immediately: get an account of what children are at your library; keep track of every single kid

Reunification procedures Tracking & reporting

YOUR STATE LIBRARY

What more should the MSL be doing to help libraries prepare and respond to an emergency?

“Lolo was experiencing terrible fires with evacuations. People came to the library to find out the latest information on the situation, were able to use the computers to notify friends and family and I extended the hours to accommodate these folks and help them find community resources. It felt good to be able to help and the community was truly thankful that the library was available to help them through this trying time.”

…Erin Casey, Lolo Branch LibraryLolo 2014 wildfire

Photo: Missoulian