Emergency planning and disaster recovery for archives, libraries and museums

Emma Dadson

Divisional Manager

Harwell Document Restoration Services

Outline

Case studies Emergency response without planning Emergency response with planning

Key content Ensuring it works in practice Template documents available, free of charge

• Please email emma.dadson@hdrs.co.uk for a copy

Why do we need to plan? Strong possibility of an incident occurring

Harwell - 400-500 projects per year Good housekeeping – risk management

Inevitable residual risk

DomainHave experienced a disaster

Have not experienced a disaster

   Freq %  Freq %

Archive  57  29  141  71

Library  71  35  135  66

Museum  58  28  151  72

Total  186  30  427  70

Why do we need to plan?

Who said: ‘I have never been in an accident of any sort

and have never been wrecked, nor was I ever in any predicament that threatened to end in disaster of any sort’

• E J Smith

High risk strategy to assume it won’t be you Lack of preparation exacerbates

consequences

What are the benefits of having a plan? Fast response, avoid escalation Prompt, SOP for pressurised situation Resilience for absence of key personnel Sound basis for decision-making

Avoids dithering / knee-jerking Potential hurdles circumvented in advance Information at your disposal when

communications difficult vs sourcing solutions without resources

When a plan isn’t enough

A plan will not necessarily be effective when put into practice simply by virtue of its existence. Why? Lack of content – no direction, just lists No scrutiny, testing, revision or review Poor communication and awareness beyond author One dimensional Lack of training and familiarity

But remember that no plan is a magic wand Dirty work of salvage Decision making under pressure

Objectives

Avoidance of these pitfalls What should be in your plan? How do you ensure it works in practice

Plans can be (relatively) straightforward Extensive internal resources within organisation Critical steps

• Identify sources of help• Ensure they understand your priorities • Ensure channels of communication are open• Understand your capacity and limitations

Good foundations What tasks will be required to manage a flood?

Liaise with insurance company / loss adjuster Updating intranet to advise on compromised service Inform regulatory authorities Pump out store Assessing priority order for material to be salvaged Decide how an item should be treated (air-dried/frozen) Isolate electricity prior to salvage beginning Liaise with emergency services Arranging generator to run dehumidifiers Decide on the best method for packing damaged items Organise movement of damaged material Decide whether or not to suspend service / close Restore IT facilities

Emergency management team

Organisation management

Salvage Manager

Disaster Recovery

Co-ordinator

Building Manager

Service Continuity / IT

Recovery

Emergency Management Team – Small institutions

Governing body

Emergency Response

Co-ordinator

Emergency Management

team

Trustees =

Salvage helpers /

contractors

One size does not fit all Split physical salvage / co-ordinating and continuity Multiple sites / small staff Semantics

Benefits in disaster recovery situations Identify at the start and involve from the beginning

• Work on plan production / review • Get their buy-in from day one

Specify Responsibilities / duties Required immediate actions to control incident Ongoing actions as salvage operation progresses Final actions to be completed as incident is closed

•

Identifying your emergency management team

Alarm raising

Effective initial response vital – time of essenceContain incident – limit quantity and extent of

damaged collections• Identify source of leak and stop • Isolate electricity • Protect records with polythene• ....purpose of plan, corral / direct you when panicking

Reliant on facilities departments Safety, dealing with leak Problems: multiple areas affected

Alarm raising Making this work effectively

Integrate into Business Continuity plans• Why does your collection take precedence?

Have copies of utilities shut-off instructions for services affecting you

Disaster equipment – basic materials like polythene etc • Possibly your own wet vac, absorbent cushions

Risk assessment form – tick boxes Out of hours procedures

• It’s okay to call you

Key contents – priorities

Priorities for salvage Only you know your collections and can identify

vital items Possibly security guards, fire-brigade, Harwell, not

you doing this Clear policy on vital items

Consider fast-deteriorating media / finding aids / material not owned by you / long destruction date

Locations Floor plan, list of bays / box numbers etc Mark in store

• Fluorescent stickers / laminated markers

Key contents – salvage

Most items can be air-dried, without external contractors

Time before mould / corrosion – 72 hours Question of

Your space capacity External cost vs your time Keeping material in order Health and safety, future use

Identify your strategy nowWhen would you involve a contractor?

Key contents – salvage

When to call in a specialist Foul water flooding AV material Significant / unmanageable quantity of damage

• Freezing initially Migrating inks Requirement to keep material in order Smoke damage or fire damage Glass damage Mould growth

Key contents – equipment Rapid response salvage kit

Protecting and containing / Documentation / Air-drying / clean up

Risk assess what you need• Are you going to air-dry?

Key items • Polythene, tape gun, gaffer, stanley, leak

diverter, absorbeez cushions• Blotting paper, cotton tape, polythene bags,

documentation kit, cable ties • Basic PPE Nitrile gloves, masks, torches• Copies of key info

Location / mobility / security / ready to use

Key contents – equipment

Larger / more expensive items accessed internally / via hire shopLighting Generators/ Emergency lighting / PPESandbags / booms / pumps / wet vacsDehumidifiers / fans / air-moversTrolleys / sack barrows / crates / pallets

Know where this material is now!

Key contents – equipment and suppliers External services and contracted services

Document recovery firms / conservators Disaster recovery firms (Clean up, sanitisation, pump out

water etc) Storage (off-site/ambient) / Removals firms / packers /

manpower Specialist moving equipment Trades

Local / Regional / National Work out finances and costs in advance – set up an

account? To what level can you authorise emergency

expenditure

HDRS Priority User Service

Priority User Service Cover for all sites Access to HDRS’ 24-hour hotline +44 1235 434373 Free, onsite consultancy and salvage project

management, 365 days per annum Discounted salvage, packing and transport Free crate hire & freezer storage Priority access to HDRS’ disaster recovery teams &

restoration facilities Discounts on standard rates

• 35% on drying / 25% on smoke-damage restoration / 25% sanitisation

Key contents

Business Continuity targets, policy and strategy Temporary accommodation Arrangements for sensitive / confidential records Contacts for staff Floor plans Log sheets Documentation form Version control and security Details of your insurance cover

Exclusions, policy number, loss adjuster etc

To make sure your plan works in practice Practise! Training, familiarity

Improve teamwork and communication Scrutinise – test your plan Interface with other key sections of your

organisation What emphasis is given to records in

your organisation’s business continuity plans?

Presentation

Summary

Good quality document will ensure a more robust response

Time: critical in successful incident management Troubleshoot where possible in advance

To ensure an effective response, stay prepared keep your plan updated and stay familiar

with the contentdealing with disaster is never easy

• but is less difficult if you are prepared and equipped with a workable plan

HDRS

Emma Dadson Harwell Document Restoration Service

Dalton Building Maxwell Avenue Harwell Science and Innovation Campus DidcotOX11 0QT

T. 01235 432245 F. 01235 432246 E. emma.dadson@hdrs.co.uk W. www.hdrs.co.uk