Online course on disaster planning

MS 205/6: Disaster Plan Research and Writing
Instructor: Terri Schindel
Dates: March 7 - April 29, 2011
Price: $475
Location: Online at <URL:http://www.museumclasses.org>

Description: Every museum needs to be prepared for fires, floods,
chemical spills, tornadoes, hurricanes and other disasters. But
surveys show 80 percent lack trained staff, emergency-preparedness
plans for their collections, or both. Disaster Plan Research and
Writing begins with the creation of disaster-preparedness teams, the
importance of ongoing planning, employee safety, board participation
and insurance. Participants will learn everything they need to draft
their own disaster-preparedness plans. They also will be required to
incorporate colleagues in team-building exercises.

A written disaster-preparedness plan is not only a good idea, it's
also a requirement for accreditation. In the second half of the
course, instructor Terri Schindel reviews and provides input as
participants write plans that outline the procedures to follow in
various emergencies. The completed plan prepares museums physically
and mentally to handle emergencies that can harm vulnerable and
irreplaceable collections. You will have a completed institutional
disaster-preparedness and response plan at the end of the course.

Course Outline:

    Introduction to Disaster Planning
    Disaster Team
    Risk Assessment and Management
    Health and Safety
    Insurance
    Documentation
    Prioritizing Collections
    Writing the Disaster Preparedness Plan
    Emergency Procedures
    Disaster Response
    Emergency Procedures - Recovery
    Emergency Procedures - Salvage
    Emergency Procedures - Salvage Techniques and Guidelines
    Emergency supplies and location of regional resources
    Appendices: What to put in them
    Next steps: planning drills and further resources
    Conclusion

Logistics: Participants in Disaster Plan Research and Writing work
at their own pace. Instructor Terri Schindel is available at
scheduled times for email support. Opportunities for interaction
include forums and scheduled online chats. Each section includes a
written assignment that becomes support material for drafting an
actual disaster preparedness plan. Materials include readings,
lecture notes, links to relevant web sites and handouts. The course
is limited to 20 participants.

MS205/6: Disaster Plan Research and Writing lasts eight weeks. To
reserve a spot in the course, please pay at
<URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html> If you have trouble
please contact Helen Alten at helen<-a t->collectioncare< . >org

Required Textbook: Disaster Planning I uses the required textbook
Steal This Handbook! A Template for Creating a Museum's Emergency
Preparedness Plan, which is available for purchase at
<URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html>

The Instructor:

    Terri Schindel, graduated from the Courtauld Art Institute,
    University of London with a concentration in textile
    conservation. Since 1988 she has taught collections care and
    preventive conservation to museum staff. She has assisted
    museums in writing disaster plans for more than a decade and
    helped develop national standards for disaster-preparedness
    materials. Ms. Schindel specializes in collection care and
    preventive conservation and works regularly with small, rural
    and tribal museums. She is familiar with the many challenges and
    lack of resources facing these institutions. Ms. Schindel is
    committed to maintaining the uniqueness of each museum while
    ensuring that they serve as a resource for future generations.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:40
               Distributed: Wednesday, February 23, 2011
                       Message Id: cdl-24-40-012
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