MS205: Disaster Planning I: Introduction to Disaster Preparedness Planning
Instructor: Terri Schindel
Dates: January 9 to February 4, 2006
Price: $395

According to the recently published Heritage Health Index, “2.6 billion 
items of historic, cultural  and scientific significance are not protected 
by an emergency plan and are at risk should a disaster strike their 
institutions…Every collecting institution should have an emergency 
preparedness plan that includes its collections, and staff should be 
trained to implement the plan.” (A Public Trust at Risk:  The Heritage 
Health Index Report on the State of America’s Collections. A project of 
Heritage Preservation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, 2006)

However, the Heritage Health Index notes that 80% of U.S. collecting 
institutions DO NOT have an emergency plan that includes collections, with 
staff trained to carry it out.

The Northern States Conservation Center (http://www.collectioncare.org) is 
pleased to announce the return of one of its most important classes. 
Disaster Planning I: Introduction to Disaster Preparedness Planning. It is 
now available on-line by Northern States Conservation Center at 
www.museumclasses.org.

Emergencies, disasters, accidents, and injuries can occur in any setting 
and at any time, usually without warning. Museum collections are by their 
nature both vulnerable and irreplaceable; even small accidents can harm a 
collection. Being prepared physically and psychologically to handle 
emergencies is an individual as well as an organizational responsibility. 
Current museum accreditation requires that you have a disaster plan. 
However, writing the plan can be difficult, especially if you have no 
background in the subject. In this course, you receive all of the necessary 
background and gather all the information you will need to complete the 
plan.  In the second half of the course, Disaster Planning II, you will 
write the plan in sections, with review and input by the instructor.  The 
courses are scheduled so you will have a complete disaster preparedness and 
response plan written before hurricane, tornado, forest fire and flood 
seasons occur this spring.

The purpose of Disaster Preparedness and Response Planning is to outline 
for museum staff and volunteers procedures to be followed in various 
emergency situations. Emergencies, disasters, accidents, and injuries can 
occur in any setting and at any time, usually without warning. Museum 
collections are by their nature both vulnerable and irreplaceable; even 
small accidents can harm a collection. Being prepared physically and 
psychologically to handle emergencies is an individual as well as an 
organizational responsibility.

You will learn how to form a team, dynamics of team participation, on-going 
nature of planning, personnel safety, board governance, insurance, that 
plans must be reviewed and updated twice a year. You will identify 
community partners, fire prevention personnel, emergency medical providers, 
government officials, insurance providers, and invite them to participate 
in planning. A staff member, and/or a team, will be chosen to serve as an 
emergency coordinator(s). You will learn what the team/person's duties and 
responsibilities are before, during and after the emergency. The emergency 
coordinator will formulate a simple, easily accessible flip-chart of 
information pertaining to contacts, personnel locations, immediate action 
steps, emergency numbers, signals, sirens, and visual aids if necessary. 
With this information you will be ready to actually write the Disaster 
Preparedness and Response Plan.

The course will last for four weeks. The course format is self-paced. The 
instructor will be available at predetermined intervals throughout the 
course. Students will be working individually and interact through forums 
and scheduled on-line chats. Materials include web versions of reading 
materials and lecture notes. Supporting resources include message forums, 
weekly online chats, email support, projects, and links to relevant 
websites. This course will include handouts, on-line literature and 
student-teacher/group-teacher dialog. Course textbook must be purchased 
separately.  It is Steal This Handbook! A Template for Creating a Museum’s 
Emergency Preparedness Plan, 1994, Southeastern Registrars Association. The 
course is limited to 20 participants.

If you are interested in the course, please sign up at 
www.museumclasses.org and pay for the course at 
http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html.  If you have trouble with 
either, please contact Helen Alten at [log in to unmask]

Comments from former MS 205 Students:

“This course was a great motivator to get me to work on the disaster 
preparedness plan.  I also appreciate Terri’s time, knowledge, and 
flexibility to answer questions and give suggestions.  Thanks.”   MS 205 
Student

“Even though the class focused on disaster preparedness planning, other 
valuable information was covered in the readings and online chat sessions. 
The instructors provided answers or references to answers.  This feedback 
was extremely useful to me. I really enjoyed the additional reference 
materials listed at the end of each section.   Although I did not 
contribute much to the discussion, it was interesting to read the comments 
from the other participants. The readings provided new reference materials, 
too.”  MS 205 Student

“Actually the course exceeded my expectations.  I learned much during the 
course and several topics made me re-examine the significance of having a 
plan and cataloging our collections.  Finally, I am looking forward in 
developing a plan that will protect the collections.  I really enjoyed the 
course and plan on taking additional courses in the future.”  MS 205 Student

About the instructor:

Terri Schindel, Conservator received her conservation diploma from the 
Courtauld Art Institute, University of London with a concentration in 
textile conservation. She has assisted small and medium sized museums in 
writing disaster plans since the mid- 1990s. A part of the 2001, 
NEH-funded, “Train the Trainers” national initiative, Ms. Schindel worked 
with conservators around the country in developing an accepted standard for 
disaster planning materials. Ms. Schindel has worked teaching collections 
care/preventive conservation to people from small, rural, and tribal 
museums since 1988. She is familiar with the many challenges and lack of 
resources facing these institutions. She offers her expertise through a 
variety of programs that include mentoring, on-site training, grant 
writing, CAP surveys, grant funded projects, preventive conservation, and 
interventive conservation treatments. As an experienced museum consultant 
and teacher, Ms. Schindel has followed approximately thirty institutions 
through the processes of survey, resourcing, training, and successful 
implementation of collection and conservation priorities. Ms. Schindel is 
committed to maintaining the uniqueness of each small museum while 
upgrading to professional standards and resourcing for future generations.




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