Gregory, The worst disaster response plan I have examined consisted of three large three-ring binders which covered, in some detail, most every conceivable disaster. Twenty years of experience dealing with disaster situations, conducting workshops concerning same, and helping others write plans caused me, a few years ago, to write up the following (short) guide. Disaster Response Plans The essence of a useful disaster response plan is simplicity and brevity. Plans which catalog an exhaustive list of possible disasters with detailed responses, however well-wrought they may seem, are too cumbersome to be of much use during the early hours of an actual emergency. There are three general classes or types of disaster which a plan should address: fire, water, and acts of God (i.e., earthquake, volcano, storms, etc.) If there is a fire at the institution and the fire department is able to respond quickly, there may be time for the firemen to enter the affected site with tarps which may be used to cover especially important parts of the collections or business records of the organization. Floor plans should be drawn up and given to staff in each department so that they may identify and assign a value to collections or records under their care. The shift captains of the closest fire station should have Mylar encapsulated copies of the floor plans indicating the location and assigned value of those collections or records, as well as the location of the main electrical panels and plumbing shut-off valves. The first priority at the onset of a disaster which occurs during normal working hours is the orderly evacuation of people from a floor or the building, with concurrent notification of the proper authorities (i.e., administration, fire department, police, insurance company, etc.). There should also be a procedure for insuring the safe removal of handicapped persons who may be on an upper floor if elevator service is cut off. The disaster plan can take a variety of forms, of varying complexity. At each exit there should be a single sheet showing the basic floor plan for that floor, including the location of fire extinguishers. There should also be two emergency lights at each exit. One should be wired into the building electrical system with a battery back-up and an integral switch which will switch over to battery power in the event main power to the building or to the floor is lost; the other should be a rechargeable flashlight plugged into an outlet near the exit. The next level of disaster plan, to be kept in the offices and homes of the senior staff should contain the basic floor plans for the buildings they are responsible for. A more extensive set of plans which will indicate the location of electric panels, plumbing runs and ventilation ducts will be kept in the offices and homes of the Chief Engineer, and Conservator, whether on staff or contract. A complete set of plans should be on file in a computer for updating, as necessary. As a practical matter, the most frequent cause for updating the plans will probably be related to the changing exhibits, reflecting any temporary walls erected for the purpose of new exhibits. It is important, in the case of exhibits, to identify the location of any items on loan. Communication during the early hours of a disaster can be a vital factor in minimizing the extent of loss or damage to collections or operating records. For this reason it is suggested that the call list include not only the work extension and home telephone number of those persons named on the list, but a telephone number through which they may be contacted, or a message left for them, when they are away on business or vacation. Thompson Conservation Laboratory, Portland, Oregon (503) 248-0046 (day) 289-8723 (night) [log in to unmask] There is a clear bias above in favor of the maintenance and conservation staff. Experience has taught me that administrators and curators are more likely to consider the collection as a whole and, thus, delay making decisions. Maintenance staff can help make a building safe to enter; conservators can evaluate relative possibilities of successful conservation treatment. This information is needed by administrators/curators to help them assign priorities and commit assets. Jack C. Thompson