Workshop on Disasters

Disaster Mitigation for Cultural Collections
Chemical Heritage Foundation
315 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
November 5-7, 2002
Registration Deadline: Postmarked October 25, 2002.

Collecting institutions have a responsibility to ensure that their
collections are preserved for future generations.  The importance of
this mission can sometimes get lost in the shuffle of day-to-day
tasks.  However, an unanticipated disaster can quickly remind us how
vulnerable these collections are to damage.

Disaster planning insures that institutions are prepared to respond
quickly to emergencies.  Disaster mitigation, or the ability to
identify risks and halt some emergencies from happening, should
always play a key role in an institution's emergency preparedness
and planning efforts.  In addition to large scale emergencies,
institutions should also be aware of the danger to their collections
from roof leaks, pest infestation, mold blooms, theft, and fire.

The Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifact's (CCAHA's)
disaster mitigation workshop series will provide tools for assessing
an institution's vulnerability to disaster; evaluating fire
prevention, detection, and suppression strategies; determining
security risks; and assessing health and safety factors related to
disaster.

The workshops are intended for staff who are involved in collections
care activities or have responsibility for the safety of
collections.  They are appropriate for librarians, archivists,
curators, collections managers, stewards of historic house museums,
site and facilities managers, and security and safety staff.

Although attending the entire series is not required, each workshop
will cover a significantly different topic applicable to most
collecting institutions.  Individually, the workshops will provide
valuable information; as a series, they will provide a framework for
the development of effective and comprehensive disaster mitigation
strategies.

Workshops' Descriptions

Assessing Vulnerability and Identifying Risks
November 5, 2002

    In this workshop, participants will learn how to conduct a
    vulnerability analysis and risk assessment to evaluate the types
    of emergencies that might affect their institution and its
    collections.  This evaluation will help institutions develop
    effective strategies to minimize the likelihood of a disaster.
    A crisis communications expert will address public relations
    strategies for emergency situations.  Representatives from the
    Heritage Emergency National Task Force and Federal Emergency
    Management Agency (FEMA) will present summaries of available
    resources and programs available to cultural institutions at the
    time of a disaster.

    Speakers:

        Julie Page
        Preservation Librarian, University of California, San Diego
        and AIC/FAIC Emergency Response for Cultural Institutions
        Trainer

        Dr. Michael Smith
        Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, LaSalle
        University

Fire Safety, Detection, and Suppression
November 6, 2002

    Critical to the selection of an appropriate fire protection and
    suppression system is the assessment and analysis of the hazards
    and risks faced by an institution.  This workshop will focus on
    the need to review current fire protection procedures and
    systems in historic and cultural institutions.  The workshop
    will equip participants with the up-to-date information needed
    to make informed decisions about fire suppression systems.

    Speakers:

    Dr. Jack Watts
    Director, Fire Safety Institute

    Nicholas Artim
    Director, Fire Safety Network

Understanding Health, Safety and Security Risks
November 7, 2002

    This workshop will alert participants to the health and safety
    risks present at the time of an emergency, including air
    quality, fire safety, electrical hazards, structural
    instability, chemical and biological hazards (mold, lead,
    asbestos, contaminated water and soil), pests, and those hazards
    inherent in collections themselves (arsenic, formaldehyde).
    Cultural institutions also face risks to their staff and
    collections if they do not have the proper security procedures
    and systems in place.  The workshop will provide participants
    with tools to evaluate their security risks.

    Speakers:

        Monona Rossol
        President, Arts, Crafts, and Theater Safety, Inc. (ACTS)

        Steven R. Keller
        President, Steven R. Keller and Associates, Inc.

The Claneil Foundation, Independence Foundation, Institute of Museum
and Library Services (IMLS), The Pew Charitable Trusts, and The
Philadelphia Cultural Fund have provided subsidies for these
workshops.

Co-sponsors are Chemical Heritage Foundation, Delaware Valley
Archivists Group, Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums, Museum
Council of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, PALINET,
Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries, and
Tri-State Coalition of Historic Places.

Registration Fee:

                 Non-Member Fee: CCAHA/Co-Sponsor Member Fee:
1 workshop:        $ 60.00         $ 50.00
2 workshops:       $120.00         $100.00
All 3 workshops
  (Save $10.00):   $170.00         $140.00

For additional workshop information, registration forms, or
information about CCAHA and its programs and services, please visit
our Web site at <URL:http://www.ccaha.org> or contact CCAHA's
Preservation Services Office at 215-545-0613 or ccaha [at] ccaha__org


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:28
                 Distributed: Tuesday, October 22, 2002
                       Message Id: cdl-16-28-012
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