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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