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[padg] New Tools to Protect Cultural Heritage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2007
CONTACT: Mary Rogers, 202-233-0800 or TaskForce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
National Task Force Releases New Tools to Protect Cultural Heritage
Resources Will Aid in Disaster Preparedness and Recovery
WASHINGTON, D.C.-A new collection of handy tools designed especially for
libraries, archives, museums, historic sites, and historic preservation
and arts organizations has been released by the Heritage Emergency
National Task Force. The tools are the result of the Task Force's
"Lessons Applied" initiative to develop practical applications for the
lessons from Hurricane Katrina, such as helping cultural institutions
apply for disaster aid and developing relationships with emergency
responders.
The new tools are available as free downloads at
www.heritageemergency.org:
* Tips for Working with Emergency Responders. Getting to know
local emergency responders and how they work before disaster strikes can
help keep staff and collections safe. This handy sheet tells how to find
and build relationships with emergency responders, as well as what
information needs to be exchanged to help responders protect cultural
institutions.
* Guide to Navigating FEMA and SBA Funding. This concise Web site
leads cultural institutions through the process of applying to the Small
Business Administration (SBA) and FEMA for assistance after major
disasters. Links put policies, application forms, and other necessary
paperwork at the user's fingertips along with simple, step-by-step
instructions for the application process.
* MayDay. MayDay is an annual event that encourages cultural
institutions to undertake one simple emergency preparedness task.
Created by the Society of American Archivists, MayDay was expanded in
2007 to include libraries, museums, and arts and historic preservation
organizations. This year hundreds of organizations promoted the message,
and FEMA featured MayDay on its Web site. The Task Force has produced a
list of suggested MayDay activities, as well as promotional materials.
* Recommended Professional Emergency Management Training. Most
staff members want to help in the aftermath of an emergency at their
institutions or in their communities. The free courses listed in this
resource teach cultural heritage staff and volunteer teams about local,
state, and federal disaster response frameworks already in place, as
well as official protocols and structure, terminology, and key local
contacts.
Panels composed of Task Force members and other experts have been
working since October 2006 to prepare new resources and develop
longer-term recommendations in the areas of incentives for preparedness,
working with first responders, effective regional response, funding, and
coordination among service organizations. The Task Force met July 17,
2007, to announce the new tools and discuss results of a member survey
on Katrina, which will help the group prepare for future events. Other
proposed initiatives include a preparedness poster, speakers' bureau on
cultural heritage emergencies, guidelines for mutual assistance
networks, GIS standards for cultural collections, a collections
stabilization fund, and a new Foundation Center guide identifying
disaster resources.
The "Lessons Applied" initiative has been made possible through grants
from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Bay and Paul
Foundations and the volunteer efforts of Task Force members. See
www.heritagepreservation.org/lessons/panels.html for a complete roster
of panel members.
The Heritage Emergency National Task Force is a partnership of 41
national service organizations and federal agencies created to protect
cultural heritage from the damaging effects of natural disasters and
other emergencies. The Task Force was founded in 1995 and is
co-sponsored by Heritage Preservation and the Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
For over 30 years, Heritage Preservation has been the national,
nonprofit advocate for the proper care of all cultural heritage-in
museums, libraries, homes, and town squares. For more information, visit
www.heritagepreservation.org. The National Endowment for the Humanities
(NEH) is an independent federal agency created in 1965. It is the
largest funder of humanities programs in the United States. For more
information, visit www.neh.gov.
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