Resources for Protecting and Saving
Family Treasures and Historic Properties
This page contains information and tools to help the general public prepare for and recover from disasters affecting their personal property. Topics include becoming familiar with possible hazards, preparing for an emergency, salvaging damaged property, and contacting the professionals. |
Click on heading for tab to open.   |
Learn What Risks Your Treasures Face
- Declared Disasters by Year or State (FEMA)
See what the history of natural disasters is in your state and find out if any disasters are currently declared. - Natural Hazards Gateway (US Geological Survey)
Get information on the seven most common natural hazards in the US: earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanoes, and wildfires.
Protect Your Family Treasures
- Watch videos to learn techniques for dealing with water or soot damage:
- Coping with Water Damage
- Dealing with Soot (Windows Media Player 5.9 MB or Flash 4 KB)
- Preparing, Protecting, and Preserving Your Family Treasures (Library of Congress)
Simple instructions for preserving many types of family treasures. - Weather safety fact sheets from the National Weather Service:
- Essential Records for Families: What you need to know before you evacuate (Georgia State Archives) (79 KB)
- Protect Your Property (FEMA)
- Ready.gov (Department of Homeland Security and Citizen Corp)
Resources at ready.gov help families prepare, plan, and stay informed.
Find Professional Help
- Find a Conservator
Conservators can provide advice on how to safely store your family treasure or salvage it if damaged. The American Institute for Conservation maintains an online database of conservators. The database can be searched by state, region, and/or conservation specialty (i.e., paintings, photographs, books, furniture, textiles, and many others). - Regional conservation centers across the US offer 24-hour disaster assistance
- For assistance with buildings and property:
- Contact your regional office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Find your State Historic Preservation Office
Protect Your Health
- Interim Health and Safety Precautions for People Entering Previously Flooded Areas (FEMA, Word document)
- Storm and Flood Cleanup (NIOSH)
Salvage Family Treasures
- Save Your Treasures the Right Way (Heritage Preservation) (visit Web page or download 252 KB)
Natural disasters can harm treasured possessions like photos and other keepsakes. Sometimes people discard family heirlooms that could have been saved or, lacking good advice, make the damage worse. This doesn't have to happen! - Save Family Treasures from Soot (Heritage Preservation) (visit Web page or download 160 KB)
Cherished family heirlooms that survive a fire are often covered with soot and ash. Removing soot and ash requires prompt and gentle attention to avoid further damage. - Watch videos to learn techniques for dealing with water or soot damage:
- Coping with Water Damage
- Dealing with Soot (Windows Media Player 5.9 MB or Flash 4 KB)
Repair a Historic Property
- Recovering from and Coping with Flood Damaged Property (FEMA)
- Treatment of Flood-Damaged Older and Historic Buildings (National Trust for Historic Preservation)
- Disaster Resources for Homeowners (National Trust for Historic Preservation)
- Information for Owners of Damaged Buildings Following a Natural Disaster (North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office)
- Disaster Information Resources Series (for homeowners) (Louisiana State University)