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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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DISASTER/EMERGENCY PLAN
DISASTER PREVENTION
Monitoring of temperature/humidity control
equipment.
Safe storage of records
Fire prevention
Monitoring for water leaks
Flood plain designation
Evacuations Plans and Emergency Lights
ESTABLISHMENT OF A DISASTER ACTION TEAM
PLAN OF ACTION FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
FIRE
WATER DAMAGED MATERIALS
INSECTS OR RODENTS
BOMB THREATS
SERIOUS INJURY/ILLNESS
SEVERE STORM WARNINGS
ROOF WATER LEAKS
SPRINKLER HEAD DAMAGE
PROLONGED POWER OUTAGE
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS THREATS
EARTHQUAKES
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
Temporary Off-Site Facilities
Supplies
Facility Integrity and Security
Treatment of security classified materials
Treatment;of records without freezing
Treatment of records to be frozen
Treatment after drying of records
Treatment of photographic materials and
microfilm
Documentation of disaster and salvage
operations
APPENDIX A
ALARM SYSTEM FOR FORT WORTH ARCHIVES AND
RECORDS CENTER
APPENDIX B
EVACUATION ROUTES
APPENDIX C
EMERGENCY LIGHTS
APPENDIX D
DISASTER ACTION TEAM
APPENDIX E
PROCEDURES FOR NOTIFICATION OF CENTRAL OFFICE
PERSONNEL IN THE EVENT OF A DISASTER
FOR THE RECORDS CENTER
APPENDIX F
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
APPENDIX G
LIST OF PERMANENT EMPLOYEES AND THEIR HOME
PHONE
NUMBERS
APPENDIX H
SHELTER PLAN
APPENDIX I
PRIORITY RECORDS TO BE SALVAGED
APPENDIX J
EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT
SUPPLIES ON HAND
APPENDIX K
RESOURCE PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS
DISASTER/EMERGENCY PLAN:
SOUTHWEST REGIONAL ARCHIVES
and FEDERAL RECORDS CENTER*
[NOTE: The Southwest Regional Archives and Federal
Records Center will hereafter be cited as BUILDING 1.]
There is an increased awareness in professional and
administrative circles of the need to safeguard
archival material, resulting in an intensified interest
in the safety and preservation of records documenting
our Nation's heritage. In addition, NARA's
responsibility extends to the large volume of temporary
records the Federal Records Centers maintain for
customer agencies. Preservation of records requires
that proper environmental conditions be maintained and
planning be done in order to avoid disasters if humanly
possible. Planning also can minimize damage to archival
materials if a disaster does occur. The importance of
having an emergency plan which identifies the steps to
be taken to reduce the amount of damage resulting from
a disaster cannot be overemphasized.
The purpose of this disaster plan is to enable all
employees, with assistance from others, to meet an
emergency with maximum efficiency and minimum loss to
records. The plan should be activated after a disaster
occurs that results in a major interruption of the
Southwest Region and Fort Worth Federal Record Center's
normal operation. A disaster could consist or a
tornado, fire, flood,
water damage, explosion, loss of utilities, or any
other situation requiring
emergency procedures.
This plan is also designed to fulfill GSA's Occupant
Emergency program requirements which are set forth
under 41 CFR 101-20.103-1.
DISASTER PREVENTION
Planning includes considering ways to avoid, where
possible, the occurrence of emergency situations, by
the following methods:
1. Monitoring of temperature/humidity control
equipment.
National Archives standards require a constant
temperature of 70 degrees (+/- 5 degrees) and a
relative humidity of 50% (+/- 5%) in the archives. To
monitor these conditions, three hygrothermographs,
placed in the Section A stack area (away from air
vents), should be checked and changed on a weekly
basis. [NOTE: The location of hygrothermographs are:
A-09-022-4; A-22078-2; and A-29-092-3.]
Hygrothermographs should be recalibrated regularly. An
aspirating psychrometer will be available for
recalibrating the hygrothermographs. Any malfunctioning
of environmental controls should be reported to the
Regional Preservation Coordinators or the Directors of
the Archives and Records Center.
2. Safe storage of records.
To ensure safe storage of records, certain procedures
must be followed. Records are not to be stored less
than six inches from ceilings or suspended lights or
eighteen inches from sprinkler heads. Records should
not be stored in contact with electrical or fire alarm
systems or where they will obstruct any exit, access
panel, air conditioning duct, or fire extinguisher.
Eating and drinking in the stack areas or research
rooms is strictly prohibited. Any roof leaks or signs
of the presence of rodents or insects should be
reported immediately to the Regional Preservation
Coordinators or the Directors of the Archives and
Records Center.
The Regional Preservation Coordinators will check the
building on a quarterly basis, including the inspection
of sticky traps, doors, foundation walls, etc.
3. Fire prevention.
Fire prevention procedures must constantly be in
effect. Good housekeeping, constant monitoring, and
prompt elimination of fire hazards are essential. The
rule against smoking in stack areas and research rooms
must be followed at all times. All flammable solvents
must be kept out of records storage areas. Trash must
not be allowed to accumulate. Electrical outlets must
not be overloaded. Extension cords should not be used
on a permanent basis. When extension cords are used for
a temporary job, they should be industrial-weight
cords.
All NARA employees are expected to become familiar with
the location and operations of fire alarms, emergency
exits, and evacuation routes.
The OSHA committee performs a monthly inspection of the
entire building. Daily housekeeping is provided by GSA.
Employees should be trained and familiar with the use
of fire extinguishers.
4. Monitoring for water leaks.
There is an environmental control monitoring system
that senses water pressure indicating any water flow to
the automatic sprinkler system. The compressor location
for Building 1 is located in Valvehouse 6. Building
plans showing locations of water and sprinkler pipes
and water cutoffs for the building, as well as
information on the Alarm System, are given in Appendix
A.
5. Flood plain designation.
Flood plains are classified as zone A, floods every 100
years; zone B, floods every 500 years; and zone C,
floods not expected. Building 1 is located in zone C
and flooding from rivers and creeks is not expected to
occur.
6. Evacuations Plans and Emergency Lights
All NARA employees are expected to become familiar with
the location and operations of emergency exits,
evacuation routes, and fire alarms. They are also
required to notify their supervisors immediately of any
potentially dangerous situations.
In Appendix B are the evacuation plans for Sections
A-L. In Appendix C is a chart listing the location of
all emergency lights.
The OSHA team monitors the lights on a quarterly basis.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A DISASTER ACTION TEAM
[Hereafter cited as DAT]
Conducting a successful and efficient salvage operation
after a disaster requires activation of a team that
should be established before any emergency occurs. The
purpose of the disaster action team are to:
1. Ensure that all reasonable measures have been
taken to prevent a disaster from occurring.
2. Ensure that employees in the respective units
are advised of emergency procedures, locations
of fire alarms and extinguishers, evacuation
procedures, and locations of emergency exits.
3. Assess and assist during any emergency whether
during business or non-business hours.
4. Direct the flow of people during an emergency
to the nearest emergency exits in the quickest
and most orderly fashion.
5. Direct and supervise recovery operations to
salvage the maximum volume of materials in a
manner that will minimize future restoration
costs and effort.
6. Coordinate personnel.
7. Identify vital records and establish recovery
priorities.
8. Arrange for equipment, supplies, and space.
9. Designate a person in charge of public affairs
and/or contact Roseanne Butler or Alan Kramer
for advice.
MISSION: The DAT's collective mission is to evaluate
quickly the disaster situation, make assignments,
gather needed equipment and materials, set up work
areas, and remove damaged records from the affected
storage areas. If a disaster occurs in the building
during non-work hours, the Center Director is
designated to receive the first call, assess the
problem, and initiate the phoning of others if
necessary. In the event of a disaster, the DAT should
be ready to meet day or night, within hours of the
reported disaster.
The DAT is responsible for following the guidelines of
the disaster plan to lessen the severity of a disaster.
Each member also should have and be familiar with
copies of Peter Waters' "Procedures for Salvage of
Water Damaged Library Materials" and Hilda Bohlem's
"Disaster Prevention and Disaster Preparedness." The
DAT will also have a copy of FRED (Archives Location
Register) off-site; a copy of the Records Center's
Report O1 will be transmitted from St. Louis if needed.
It is essential that all workers have a clear idea of
what is to be done and how to do it in a manner that
prevents further damage to the records or accidents to
the employees.
The DAT is composed of the Federal Records Center and
Regional Archives personnel. Any disaster-related
action will involve cooperation between 7NC and 7NS.
Immediately upon discovery of the emergency, the
members of the DAT identified in Appendix D are to be
notified. Central office personnel will be notified, as
appropriate (see Appendix E) as soon as the DAT and/or
emergency personnel (see Appendix F) determine the
severity of the event.
Other Federal Records center and Regional Archives
personnel are to be contacted should the event warrant
additional staffing (see Appendix G).
Additional duties of specific members of the DAT are:
7NC Director: The Center Director has overall
responsibility for the execution of the emergency plan.
Responsible for major procedural decisions and for
coordinating activities relating to them. This Director
must also ensure that DAT members and all other
employees are aware of emergency procedures.
7NC Assistant Director: In the event of a building
evacuation, the Assistant Director will account for all
personnel and visitors in the Record Center area.
Responsible for the direction of activities relating to
records in the custody of the Federal Records Center.
Coordinates with the Regional Archives Director the
necessary plan of action for the protection and salvage
of records in their respective units. This may include
the recruitment of intermittent employees necessary to
carry out salvage operations anywhere in Building 1.
Assumes overall emergency plan responsibility in the
absence of the Center Director.
7NS Director: The Director will serve as the Vital
Records Officer for the facility. Responsible for the
direct of activities relating to archival holdings. See
also Security Classified Records.
7NS Assistant Director: The Assistant Director is
designated as preservation officer. This officer will
confer with outside consultant whose expertise may be
utilized during an emergency situation. In the event of
a building evacuation, the Assistant Director will
account for all personnel and visitors in the Archives
area. Responsible for the direction of activities
relating to records in the custody of the Archives.
Coordinates with the Center Director the necessary plan
of action for the protection and salvage of records in
their respective units. The preservation officer should
review the disaster plan annually and make any changes
that may be needed to keep it current.
In addition to the DAT, the Records Center and the
Southwest Region will organize teams to further assist
in specific disasters in their respective units.
Within the Archives side, an archivist and one of the
archives technicians are designated as team leaders.
The team leaders will supervise the activities of
full-time and/or intermittent employees in the
salvaging of records. The remaining archives
technicians are responsible for removing and salvaging
essential administrative files and archival records
which are in the research room.
Within the Records Center side, the A&D Chief and the
Service Branch Chief are designated as team leaders.
PLAN OF ACTION FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
The first step is to evaluate the disaster and notify
Central Office as per Appendix E. The second step is to
contact Diana Alper-Roley at (301) 713-7404.
FIRE.
First Alarm. Any employee who discovers a
fire will promptly alert the Federal Building
Control Center through the use of the nearest
fire alarm pull station (fire alarm box). (See
Appendix A for the location of fire alarm
boxes).
Second Alarm. The employee who sounds the
alarm will alert the nearest supervisor, or
proceed quickly to the nearest office in
Section A, C, or F, and alert the person in
charge of that office. Along the way to the
office the employee should alert all persons
within hearing distance by loud shouts of,
"FIRE IN (give location)". DO NOT PANIC. The
supervisor, or the person in charge of the
office to which the fire is reported, will
report to the DAT, the location and severity of
the fire, and the name of the person who
sounded the alarm initially reporting the fire.
All permanent, intermittent, temporary,
and visitors are to evacuate the building
immediately by the nearest fire exit and
assemble on the parking lot in front (north) of
the building. Evacuation posters detailing
exits and egress routes are posted throughout
the building and the lighted exit signs have
been placed in the stack areas (see Appendix B
for all emergency evacuation routes for
Building 1).
Handicapped visitors or employees will
receive special assistance in evacuating the
building. Research room attendants and
receptionist will notify their supervisors if
there are handicapped visitors who need
assistance. All research rooms, lunch rooms,
restrooms, and the conference room, will be
checked.
A designated FRC employee will open all
Cypher locks on the stack area doors and turn
off all smoke removal fan switches in Section
A, next to the fire alarm panel. Lights under
switches for smoke removal fans indicate that a
fan is on when a light is burning.
Communications. The FRC, which operates
the building's main telephone lines is
responsible for calling the Federal Control
Center (334-2888) to ensure that the fire
department has been called and give any
specific information about the fire or
emergency. If the emergency occurs in the
Regional Archives stack area or research rooms,
the Center Director or Assistant Center
Director will be notified so that they may
contact the Control Center.
Roster Call. The research room attendant
in the Archive's and the designated individuals
in the FRC will take all sign-in sheets/logs
with them to the front parking lot and call the
names listed on all sheets to verify that the
visitors, contractors, and Goodwill Industries
employees, and all employees not on leave
status have evacuated. If there is any question
about anybody still being in the building, the
employee will check with the DAT before anyone
attempts to reenter the building.
WATER DAMAGED MATERIALS. Due to the necessity of
immediate action, primary emphasis of this plan is on
the salvage of water damaged materials. Short of
destruction by explosion or fire, damage to records
resulting from water is probably the most severe.
Virtually any wet document can be restored if prompt
and proper action is taken. Exceptions are documents
which contain very water soluble ink; these documents
should be microfilmed. Although the specific methods
for salvaging small amounts of material may differ from
the methods for salvaging large amounts, the same
general procedures are used for any type of water
damage. Contact Diana Alper-Roley for advice.
INSECTS OR RODENTS. To reduce the possibility of insect
or rodent infestation, the strict rule prohibiting the
presence of food or beverages in the stack areas must
be enforced. Newly received records and supplies should
be examined for the presence of insects and rodents. If
records are infested with insects or rodents, the
Director will call Diana Alper-Roley and the Federal
Center's Building Manager's office (telephone number in
Appendix F) and request their assistance in fumigating
the stack area. Records that are caked with mud should
be allowed to dry before attempts to remove the dirt
are taken. After the records are dry, dirt and debris
can be brushed off with the brushes that are kept with
other preservation supplies.
BOMB THREATS. The person receiving a bomb threat should
make every attempt to write down the exact words of the
caller. Note the exact time the telephone call was
received and when it ended. Note any speech
characteristics of the caller.
Try to obtain the following information from the caller
in this order:
* When is the bomb set to explode?
* Where is the bomb placed?
* What type of bomb is it?
* What does the bomb look like?
* Why was the bomb set?
After the call has ended, the person who received the
call should immediately (but discretely) report the
incident to his or her immediate supervisor. The
supervisor should then immediately notify the 7NC
Director, who will notify the FEDERAL PROTECTION
SERVICE: front gate telephone 334-5463 and central
dispatch 334-2888. Building evacuation will be directed
by the DAT.
SERIOUS INJURY/ILLNESS. If an employee or non-employee
has a serious accident and/or becomes seriously ill at
the facility, immediately call the FIRE DEPARTMENT
paramedic service, telephone 911. Give the dispatcher
the building address (National Archives 501 West Felix,
Building 1 at the corner of Felix and Hemphill) and the
exact location of the stricken individual. Have someone
available near the front entrance to direct paramedics
to the scene. A supervisor should also be immediately
notified.
The DAT will arrange for the periodic training of
employees in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and
basic first aid procedures.
SEVERE STORM WARNINGS. If a warning of impending storm
(such as torrential rain, gale force winds, damaging
sleet, snow blizzard conditions, or tornado warning) is
broadcast or ominous conditions are observed, a
supervisor
should be immediately notified. If necessary, the
Center Director or the
Assistant Center Director will call for the quick and
orderly evacuation of all employees to a given area
within the building. The Center Director, Assistant
Center Director, the Archives Director, or the
Assistant Archives Director may allow early dismissal
of employees. See Appendix H for shelter plan.
Building 1 is not situated within a flood plain area;
however during periods of extremely heavy rain,
conditions should be monitored to observe for the signs
of flooding, blocked sewers, or other water-related
problems.
ROOF WATER LEAKS. Upon discovery of a roof water leak
in the stack area, contact your supervisor or a member
of the DAT. At this time, Public Buildings Service
personnel should be notified of the situation.
Immediate action is to be taken to determine exactly
where the leak is occurring and what measures are to be
taken to prevent water damage to records. Diana
Alper-Roley should be notified. Plastic sheeting is to
be immediately placed on the top of the stack units
near the leak. Pails and buckets may be needed to
collect water. Constant monitoring of the situation is
needed to see if additional leaks occur and to empty
pails. If records are getting damaged by leaking water,
remove them to a safer dry area. Care is to be taken to
identify each FRC or archives box and/or bound volume
removed during the emergency action. The correct shelf
location should be written in on the respective label
of each box removed.
Roof leaks may occur at times other than during a heavy
rain or ice/snow storm. One should check for leaks
during and after periods of heavy winds. Rainwater or
snow that has collected on the flat roof may seep
through one of the roof seams. Water may also seep
through one opening, but flow within one for the many
grooves on the roof and eventual fall several feet away
from the actual point of entry. Condensing and air
handling units located on the roof of the facility may
also require examination as they have often been the
source of roof leaks.
SPRINKLER HEAD DAMAGE. Your supervisor or DAT must be
alerted immediately in the event that a sprinkler head
is activated due to an accident Or malfunction.
Immediate steps must be taken to close off the system
water supply in order to prevent water damage to
records and/or property. The water supply to the
building's sprinkler system is controlled in Valvehouse
6. The water supply to the sprinkler system may also be
shut off by closing the appropriate outside post
indicator valves in the valvehouses. Contact Diana
Alper-Roley if records have been damaged. See Appendix
A for location of sprinkler pipes.
PROLONGED POWER OUTAGE. A power outage is usually a
short-term inconvenience, not a major emergency.
However, in the event of an extended power outage
lasting more than one day, textual records and
microfilm may be vulnerable to damage. Paper is
sensitive to changes in air temperature and to the
amount of water vapor in the air. Rapid changes in
temperature and relative humidity over a short period
of time will accelerate the irreversible deterioration
process. High temperatures and/or low relative humidity
may cause textual records to become brittle and crack.
High relative humidity may cause textual records to
warp and promote the growth of mold and mildew.
Microfilm may also be affected by rapid changes in
temperature and relative humidity. Images on microfilm
may become illegible under extreme environmental
changes.
In the event of a prolonged power outage, every effort
must be made to maintain proper temperature and
relative humidity levels. Responsibility for facility
power supply and proper climate controls lies with GSA.
The Building Manager should be contacted in any case of
prolonged outage. Also contact Diana Alper-Roley. Power
generators should be obtained from GSA and used to
power heaters or fans. Good air circulation is
important. Temperature and relative humidity levels
should be checked. If the power outage continues for an
extended period, place extremely valuable or fragile
records in a location that will maintain the desired
temperature (70 degrees F. +/- 5 degrees) and relative
humidity (50% +/- 5 %). After power is restored,
temperature and relative humidity should be gradually
brought to normal levels.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS THREATS. Building 1 is located
within fifteen yards to the west of a railroad.
Although the chance of a toxic chemical-related
derailment or explosion may appear to be remote,
employees should be aware of this possibility.On
several occasions, trains with tanker cars will sit
several hours on these tracks. Derailment of chemical
tanker cars could result in explosions and fires or
release of toxic fumes. If such an event occurs and
appears to threaten the safety of personnel and
records, immediately call the FIRE DEPARTMENT,
telephone 911.
Building 1 is located approximately 1/4 of a mile from
Interstate 3SW and Interstate 20. The possibility
exists of a hazardous chemical-related accident or
disaster along or near these freeways. In such an
occurrence, immediately call the Fort Worth Fire
Department, telephone 911.
The DAT must wait until public safety officials allow
us to reenter the area around the building. None of the
DAT should undertake fighting chemical fires, the
firefighting should be left to the Fort Worth Fire
Department which has a station located just a few
blocks from Building 1.
EARTHQUAKES. The shock or tremor will provide the only
warning in the event of an earthquake. During an
earthquake, the following safety procedures should be
followed:
* Take immediate shelter under tables, desks, or
other objects that will offer protection from
flying glass and debris. Step under doorway or
into a narrow hall or corridor.
* Do not leave cover until ordered to do.
* Evacuate the building if notified to do so by
an intercom announcement, the DAT, or the Fire
Department.
* Try to keep calm. Do not run outdoors. Watch
for falling debris or electric wires upon
leaving the building.
* If working in one of the stack area service
aisles, employees should drop to the flood
(supine position) and crawl to the main aisle.
* Proceed to a safe area away from the danger of
being struck by falling glass, bricks, electric
wires, boxes, etc.
* Notify the DAT of any fires.
* The DAT will check the names of N and N
employees and visitors.
After an earthquake, the following emergency procedures
should be followed:
* Administer first aid and rescue victims as
necessary. Report the seriously injured to the
DAT.
* The Public Buildings Service will turn off
utilities and inspect utility lines for damage.
* Reserve the telephones for emergency use only.
* Look for any damage or expose hazards.
STEPS TO FOLLOW:
The first step taken after a disaster has occurred is
to insure that the building is safe to enter. The Fort
Worth Fire Department will notify the DAT when the
damaged building is safe to enter. The fire
department's emergency management team, if they are not
already on the scene, should also be consulted about
environmental problems before any attempts should be
made to salvage records. The DAT will notify personnel
when the damaged building is safe to enter. It will be
the director's responsibility to ensure that all
electrical and gas hazards have been eliminated. If the
air conditioning system still works, it should remain
on. It is imperative to bring the temperature and
humidity down, as mold will appear within forty-eight
hours in unventilated areas made damp and harmed by
water.
If any of the records have beef damaged by fire,
extreme caution must be used in handling them. The
records will be brittle and probably wet. Pieces of
paper towels or unprinted newsprint (from our
preservation supplies) should be placed under each
charred page before moving the item. The towel or
newsprint serves two purposes, to absorb moisture and
to provide support. The corners of the towel or
newsprint is then used to move the document.
Upon entering the stack area, all entrances and aisles
of the stack area should be cleared. All doors should
be opened to allow as much ventilation as possible. At
this point an assessment of the damage can begin. The
disaster team should jointly decide the extent of the
damage and the most appropriate initial course of
action. The wettest records within each priority
category (appendix I) should be salvaged first.
If the volume of damaged archival records is small, the
documents should be divided into three groups: those
that will be packed and frozen; those that are only
slightly damaged and can be fan dried or air dried
right away; and those that were not damaged and need no
treatment, except for possible relocation.
Temporary Off-Site Facilities: Should one or more
temporary off-site facilities be needed during the
emergency effort, the DAT will contact GSA-PBS for
available space on the Federal Center Complex. In the
event of long-term records storage needs, other NARA
facilities or temporary rental space may be required.
See Appendix I for list of priority records to be
salvaged.
Supplies: While some supplies can be maintained at the
facility to handle relatively small recovery efforts,
sufficient quantities of supplies to meet all
contingencies is impractical, if not impossible.
Emergency planning, however, should provide guidance on
how and what supplies should be readily accessible. A
list of in-house emergency equipment and supplies and a
list of firms supplying emergency/disaster goods and
services appears in Appendix J.
At present, Building 1 has one contracting officer
(John Garza) with procurement authority. In addition,
GSA can be called upon for the accelerated procurement
of emergency supplies.
Facility Integrity and Security: In the event of a
major disaster at the facility, priority must be placed
on facility security. Should there be any evidence of
damage to the building structure (i.e. perimeter walls
or roof) which would allow unauthorized access,
immediate security precautions must be taken. The
affected are should be cordoned off and security
personnel obtained to maintain 24-hour protection until
building repairs can be made. This effort should be
coordinated with the GSA-Building manager (334-5521)
and the Federal Protective Service (334-2888). Similar
security concerns shall also be of major importance for
any off-site staging areas which may be needed as part
of a disaster recovery effort.
Treatment of security classified materials:
Building 1 has a vault which contains approximately 900
cubic feet of confidential or classified records,
including 21 cubic feet of the Regional archives
records (RG 181, Records of Naval Districts and Shore
Establishment and RG 255, NASA). Security of this area
is outlined in FRC Security
Procedure #7. The most likely problem that should
affect these records would be water damage from
malfunctioning sprinklers and roof or pipe leaks or
water damage resulting from firefighting efforts.
To prevent unauthorized disclosure of information or
removal or records following a disaster, the following
steps should be taken. Regional Archives Director Kent
Carter should be called to report to the vault. In the
event of Carter's absence, Records Center Director Jim
Mouat should be called. Wet records that can be
salvaged by air drying should be moved into the TV/tape
and textual research rooms of the Regional Archives.
These rooms can be locked to prevent unauthorized
access and the records can be spread on pallets with
portable fans being used to dry the documents.
Excessively wet records should be frozen immediately to
await transfer to a sublimation chamber at Vought or
Lockheed. Such relocation shall be handled as follows:
1) Transportation shall be arranged through the
use of a vehicle with a closed trailer which
can be operated by cleared NARA personnel.
2) All classified material will be escorted by two
NARA employees with the proper level of
security clearance. This requirement must be
adhered to at all times. This includes the
movement of the records from the vault area to
the FRC dock, loading of the records onto the
designated vehicle, and the transportation of
the records to the designated off-site
location. As a point of reference, the same
restrictions will apply to this process as
already established for the disposal of
classified records (see FRC Security
procedures, January 1995).
3) Any or all vehicles used to transport
classified records to a relocation site shall
be locked and sealed by cleared NARA personnel.
4) Placement of the records into the off-site
classified storage area shall be handled in the
same manner as the procedures established for
the accessioning of classified records (see
"FRC Security Procedures," January 1995).
If all of the classified records are wet, there will be
a question of costs that NARA would have to pay to seal
a large commercial freezer. A walk-in freezer has a
storage capacity of 2000-3000 cubic feet, and NARA
would not want employees of the cold storage firm to
have access to the freezer containing the records.
Small volumes of wet records can be placed in large
picnic coolers with dry ice, the coolers can be placed
in the locked Archives TV/tape room. Once the records
are frozen, an authorized NARA employee can escort the
records to Lockheed or Vought defense contractors
having secured sublimation chambers.
Treatment of records without freezing:
After the disaster team decides which material can be
dried without freezing, drying rooms should be set up
away from the affected area. If the air conditioning
equipment and humidity controls used in the Archives
stack area are still working, then drying of records
should take place in this portion of the building.
Relative humidity of 35-50 percent is optimum. Electric
fans should be used to circulate air on the documents.
Work surfaces should be covered with plastic sheeting.
Very little cleaning should be attempted on wet records
that will not be frozen. After the documents are dry,
muddy records can be brushed to remove the dirt.
Attempting to remove mud while paper is wet forces the
dirt further into the paper's fibers.
Bound volumes should be blotted with unprinted
newspaper or paper towels at intervals of two to ten
pages, changing the interleaving as frequently as
possible and as often as necessary until dry. When
partially dry, the volumes may be fanned if the pages
are strong enough to support the book standing on end.
Wet volumes containing coated pages should not be
allowed to dry unless thin sheets of mylar polyester
are inserted between pages. Once coated paper has
dried, it is virtually impossible to separate the pages
without further damaging them.
Treatment of records to be frozen:
For stabilizing and restoring a large volume of water
damaged materials, freezing documents at low
temperatures (below twenty degrees) is the most
effective method. Cold storage provides accessible and
inexpensive space in which a large volume of material
can be stabilized in the condition it was found,
preventing further deterioration while awaiting
treatment. It also provides time to assess the damaged
material and to restore the building or stack area
affected.
The procedure by which the damaged records will be
dried determines the way they should be packed for
freezing. If only a small volume of material is frozen,
it is economically more feasible to send the records to
a local refrigeration unit and air dry them later by
staff personnel. Bound volumes should be wrapped in
freezer or wax paper to prevent their sticking to each
other. Groups of textual records are wrapped in the
same type of paper in packages not to exceed two inches
in thickness. All bundles and volumes should be labeled
and the information recorded in a notebook.
If a large volume of holdings is damaged, the least
expensive and most successful method for drying is
vacuum or freeze drying. This technique allows the
water to pass from the frozen to the vapor phase
without going through the liquid stage. It is also
effective in reducing stains on documents and odor
caused by smoke. Vacuum drying should always be used
with water damaged materials infested with mold at the
time of freezing, as the records can be sterilized at
the end of the drying process at little additional
cost.
Materials designated to be vacuum or freezed dried
should be placed in interlocking plastic milk crates.
The milk crates are lightweight and provide for air
circulation and drainage. Materials should be placed
unwrapped in the cartons until they are loosely packed,
approximately three-fourths full. Bound volumes should
be wrapped with freezer or wax paper and placed in
cartons on their lower edges so they will not fall over
or be further distorted. They should not be packed too
tightly, as to allow for air circulation. Oversized
material should be placed on uncolored cardboard and
wrapped in packages not to exceed two inches in
thickness. Burned and charred materials require special
care in handling, as the paper or bindings are very
brittle. Support single sheets on uncolored cardboard
and secure them with another sheet of cardboard or
heavy paper.
In cases of massive destruction, either conveyor belts
or a human chain should be used to move the damaged
material. If possible, the material should be packed
on-site in an adjacent dry area. Two teams containing
the same number of members should be organized, one to
collect the damaged documents and the other to pack the
records. Since wet material is much heavier than dry
records, personnel should be cautioned to use proper
lifting methods to prevent back injuries. The milk
cartons should be numbered, and, if available, copies
of location registers or other finding aids should be
annotated to record where the materials are being
transferred. Accurate labeling or inventorying of
records as they are moved will save a great deal of
time later when the records are returned.
Large volumes of wet material should be moved directly
from the building to the freezing facility, preferable
in refrigerated trucks. For small collections of
documents, dry ice may be used to freeze material for
transport in unrefrigerated trucks to the freezing
facility. Gloves should be worn when handling dry ice.
After material has been sent to the freezing facility,
stack areas should be repaired and sterilized.
Documents should not be moved into the stacks until the
shelves are thoroughly clean and dry, and proper
temperatures and humidity has been restored. As large
collections have been safely kept in a frozen state for
as long as six years, there is ample time to
reestablish those conditions. During the period that
the records are stored at a freezing or drying
facility, a designated member of the disaster team
should be responsible for ensuring the proper security
and protection of the records.
Treatment after drying of records:
After the critical drying operation is over, all
returned dry material should be placed in the stack
area and separated according to the different degrees
of repair or restoration needed. Some documents may
have escaped damage while others may require cleaning,
flattening, or minor repairs. The preservation officer
of the disaster team should consult with either a
professional conservator or the preservation officer of
the National Archives before attempting to repair badly
damaged documents.
Before being returned to their original locations, the
records should be monitored daily for several weeks to
insure that mold or fungus has not developed. Random
monitoring should continue at regular intervals for at
least a year after reshelving.
Treatment of photographic materials and microfilm:
Photographs, negatives, and microfilm stored in the
Regional Archives are salvaged and restored in a
different manner than are textual records and bound
volumes. For emergency stabilization, wet black and
white photographs, negatives, and microfilm should be
sealed in polyethylene bags and placed in plastic (not
metal) garbage cans under cold, clean running water.
This should be done while the materials are still wet;
they should never be allowed to dry before attempting
to salvage. They may be left in running water for up to
three days, although, treatment at a professional
photo-finishing laboratory equipped to handle water
damaged photographs should begin as soon as possible.
The Eastman Kodak Company in Dallas provides emergency
service for cleaning black and white photographs. The
address is listed in Appendix K.
Documentation of disaster and salvage operations:
In the event that a disaster does occur, a
post-disaster assessment report should be written to
determine the effectiveness of the recovery techniques
utilized. Extensive photographs and written records of
the conditions of the building and the procedures
followed should be kept. It is also important to
document all resources used to cope with a disaster,
including personnel, materials, time, and expenses.
This documentation can be important in helping to
obtain emergency budgetary funds.
APPENDIX F
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Federal Protective Service
Federal Center 334-5463
Federal Building 334-2888
Fort Worth Fire Department 911
Emergency Management Dept. for hazardous wastes
871-6170
Ambulance 911
Fort Worth Police Department 911
Fort Worth Federal Center, Building Manager 334-5621
John Peter Smith Hospital 921-3431
Fort Worth Federal Center, Public Health Unit 334-5222
Fort Worth Environmental Management 871-8079
Texas Health Dept 261-2911
APPENDIX H
[ON LETTERHEAD]
Date : June 7, 1985
Reply to
Attn of : 7NC
Subject: Tornado shelter plan (FRC Procedure #5)
To : All FRC Employees
Alert notification of tornadic conditions is provided
by the National Weather Service (NWS) to employees in
the Federal Office Building and to the broadcast media.
Notification is relayed by FPO offices in the FOB to
the FRC Director.
Upon notification by NWS or alerting by commercial
radio of tornado warning in effect for the south Fort
Worth area, FRC employees shall prepare to take cover.
A public address announcement by the facility intercom
system will direct employees to take cover as follows.
(The designated areas have strongest wall
support/protection).
1. Front office personnel and all visitors. Go
immediately to the FRC conference room. Staff
members should escort all visitors.
2. Employees located in Sections A-C. Go
immediately to the FRC conference room.
3. Employees located in Sections D-L. Go
immediately to the back office (Section F)
"ALL CLEAR" will be provided by the Center Director to
all visitors and employees when all indications of
tornado threat have dissipated.
[SIGNED]
JAMES W. MOUAT
Director
APPENDIX I
PRIORITY RECORDS TO BE SALVAGED
ARCHIVES:
Disasters can range from minor water damage caused by
isolated roof leaks to massive destruction by wind and
rain resulting from tornadoes. When the volume of
water-damaged archival records is extensive, restraints
of time and staff will require quick decisions to be
made; otherwise, valuable time will be lost. FRED, the
location register for the Southwest Regional Archives
has been marked to indicate what series of records
within each record group should be checked first if the
damage is widespread throughout the stack area. A
microfiche copy of the marked FRED will be placed at
each DAT member's home. Records having the highest
priority in salvage operations would be those which
most fully document the history of an agency, are
significant in protecting individual rights, or are
extremely fragile.
The following administrative files and record groups
are listed in their order of priority:
A. Administrative files (These records are being
microfiched, and a copy of the microfiche will be
stored off-site. Until this is completed, the
following administrative files remain first
priority.) The attached plan of the Region's
office/research areas shows locations of the
administrative files.
1. Accession dossier files reproduced on
microfiche. Microfiche negative is stored in
FRC's vault. One duplicate set is stored in the
textual research room. Barbara Rust has an
additional duplicate at her home.
2. Copies of preliminary inventories not been
filmed.
B. Record groups (See FRED, Appendix K, for
locations of series)
1. Records of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (RG 255). The records
contain some color photographs that would need
immediate salvage. See inventory for selected
series.
2. Records of the U.S. District Courts (RG 21),
see inventories for selected series.
3. Records of the International Boundary and
Water Commission (RG 76). See inventory for
selected series.
4. Records of the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth
Circuit (RG 276), see inventory for selected
series.
5. Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (RG
75). See inventory for selected series.
6. Record of the U.S. Coast Guard merchant
marine logs for the World War II period (RG
26).
7. Records of the Immigration and
Naturalization Service (indexes)(RG 85). See
inventory for selected series.
8. Records of the Naval Districts and Shore
Estblishments (RG 181). See inventory for
selected series.
9. Records of the Bureau of Land Management
(General Land Office) (RG 49). See inventory
for selected series.
10. Records of the U.S. Customs Service (RG
36). See inventory for selected series.
RECORDS CENIER:
Because of the size and varied shelving patterns of the
records center, it is not feasible to pre-establish any
priority relocation order of records by series or
records groups. An assessment will have to be made by
the DAT after a site evaluation.
VAULT:
In the event of a disaster which affects the records
center vault, the handling of classified records are to
take precedence over all other recovery actions.
APPENDIX J
EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT
and SUPPLIES ON HAND
Suppliers
Portable Electrical Sump Pumps
Fort Worth Fire Department 817-332-2131 (24
hours)1000 Throckmorton, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Industrial Extension Cords, Mops, Buckets, Brooms
Public Buildings Service 817-334-5521 (daytime)
Federal Center 817-334-2888 (FPO Fort Worth, TX
76115 control center - 24 hours)
Wet/Dry Vacuums
Public Buildings Service 817-334-5521 (daytime)
Federal Center 817-334-2888(FPO Fort Worth, TX
76115 control center - 24 hours)
Fort Worth Fire Dept. 817-332-2131 (24 hours)1000
Throckmorton Fort Worth, TX 76102
Refrigerator Trucks
Avis 817-335-2847 (daytime) 2727 E. Loop 820 South,
Fort Worth, TX 76119 214-699-5307 (24 hours)
Ryder Rental 817-877-3971 (24 hours) 1315 Riverside
Dr., Fort Worth, TX
Sublimation Chambers
(walk-in facilities that lower temperature)
Vought 214-266-4506 Mary Ann Lloyd
Grand Prairie, TX
Lockheed - Fort Worth, TX Joe Stout
817-763-4084
NASA
Houston, TX Carol Holman 713-483-2081
Deep Freeze Facilities
Texas Cold Store, Inc. 817-338-9671 1313 Samuels
817-581-1915 (home phone, Steve Still)
Plastic Milk Cartons
Piper Industries, Dallas, TX 214-270-6009 (24
hours)12001 Corporate 214-468-0096 (home phone, Ken
Murdock)
Newsprint
Fort Worth Star-Telegram 817-551:2101 (24 hours)SW
Loop 820 at Hemphill Fort Worth, TX
Dry Ice
Southwest Carbonic Dry Ice, Inc. 3621 Byers Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 817-738-9011 (24 hours)
Appendix J
SUPPLIES ON HAND IN THE ARCHIVES (SUPPLIES ARE LOCATED
IN ARCHIVES STACK AREA AT A-1-26-1)
# on Hand Item
2 Sponge mop with squeegie
2 Heavy duty extension cords
1 Wet/dry vacuum
7 Sponges
12 Plastic milk crates
245 Polyethelene bags
2 Rolls of plastic sheeting
6 Work gloves
20 Protective face masks
1 First aid kit
SUPPLIES ON HAND IN THE RECORDS CENTER (SUPPLIES ARE
LOCATED ON THE C-DOCK).
# on Hand Item
6 rolls 6mil plastic (polyethylene) Sheeting
6+ Scissors and/or "Zippy" Cutters
2 rolls Heavy-duty (duct) Tape
1 doz. ea. Paper pads, pencils, waterproof pens.
Variety of Colored Self-Adhesive Dots.
Large (>3x5") Self-Adhesive Labels
2 Buckets
2 Mops
2 ea. Brooms and dustpans
3 Large, plastic garbage cans
8 Water hoses with connectors
1 Adjustable spray nozzle
1 doz. Sponges
1 doz. Soft cloths and/or brushes
3 boxes Plastic garbage bags
20 Boxes or plastic crates
4 Plastic wash tubs (c. 18x24")
6 rolls Waxed or freezer paper
1 doz. rolls Paper Towels
500 sheets >3mil Polyester film (c.18x24")
2 rolls Aluminum foil
1 roll Nylon monofilament (1/32"dia)
6 ea. size 1/2" plexiglass plates (rounded edges
for safety)4x6", 5x7", 8x10"
2 doz. Clean weights (bags of lead shot,
wrapped bricks)
6 Screen Racks (c.24x36")
2 doz. Cotton gloves, Dust Masks
1 doz. Dry chemical sponges
100 Disposable gloves (medium and large
sizes)
100 Plastic Aprons
1 doz. Flashlights with batteries
1 doz. Extension cords
6 Dollies and book truck
2 Tool kits (crowbar, hammer, pliers,
wrench...)
2 First Aid Kits
1 Battery Operated Radio
1 Camera with film
6 sheets Light weight (corrugated
polypropylene) rigid sheets(c.36x48")
Hard Hats
Fans
Pallets
Forklift