NEW PROGRAM HELPS MUSEUMS DEVELOP EMERGENCY PLANS

Applications now available for institutions in MS, OH, TX

WASHINGTON, D.C.--Small and mid-sized museums in Mississippi, Ohio, and Texas can now apply to participate in Heritage Preservation’s new pilot project, the Risk Evaluation and Planning Program (REPP). The program provides each participating museum with a professional evaluation of risks to its collections, priorities for mitigating those risks, and assistance in creating or updating an emergency plan. Five institutions from each state will be selected in May 2008.

Applications can now be downloaded from www.heritagepreservation.org/repp, and they must be submitted electronically no later than March 31, 2008.

The project supports a two-day site visit by a team of assessors – a preservation professional and emergency responder. The assessors will identify hazards to the museum’s collections and facilities, work with staff to develop priorities for mitigation, and offer resources to help develop a new or improved emergency plan. Assessments will take place between July and October 2008, and emergency plans must be submitted to Heritage Preservation within six months of the site visit.

Eligible institutions in the three pilot states include aquariums, arboreta, art museums, botanical gardens, children/youth museums, general museums, historic houses and sites, history museums, nature centers, planetariums, science/technology centers, specialized museums (limited to a single distinct subject), and zoos. Institutions must have at least one professional staff member or the full-time equivalent and remain open to the public at least 90 days a year. See application for more detailed requirements.

The Risk Evaluation and Planning Program is funded with a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. For further information, visit www.heritagepreservation.org/repp or contact program staff at 202-233-0800 or repp(a)heritagepreservation.org.

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The Heritage Emergency National Task Force is a partnership of 40 government agencies and national service organizations formed in 1995. An initiative of Heritage Preservation and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Task Force has helped to protect cultural heritage from the damaging effects of natural disasters and other emergencies. Find valuable disaster resources at the Task Force Web site, www.heritageemergency.org.

For more than 30 years, Heritage Preservation has been the national, nonprofit advocate for the proper care of the objects and sites that embody our history and enrich our lives. Heritage Preservation partners with institutions, organizations, and concerned individuals who care about preserving our past.

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