Develop a Disaster Plan

Start by obtaining background:

• Take FEMA developed online courses on Continuity of Operations (COOP) planning;
• Use the Library Disaster Plan Elements module, Lyrasis (formerly SOLINET) or Halstead et al;
• Look at Model Disaster Plans;
  • Alachua County: Hurricane Preparation and Response Plan. Gainesville: Alachua County Library. Retrieved March 18, 2009 from http://www.aclib.us
  • Beaufort County Public Library Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Plan
  • Cullman County (AL) Public Library System. Disaster Preparedness / Recovery Manual
  • Henson, Stephen. (2000, October). Writing the disaster response plan: Going beyond shouting "Help! Help!" Presentation at the 9th Annual Federal Depository Library Conference. Retrieved November 16, 2008, from http://www.gpo.gov/
  • Orange Beach (AL) Public Library. Hurricane Preparedness Plan.
  • University City (MO) Public Library. Emergency Procedures and Disaster Preparedness.
  • SEFLIN. Disaster Planning and Recovery Resources.
  • It may be appropriate for key staff to develop individual plans. E.g., CSA. PReP
• Try out a template.
  • Northeast Document Conservation Center. (2006). dPlan: The online disaster-planning tool http://www.dplan.org/
  • AMIGOS. Disaster plan template for libraries and archives. http://www.amigos.org/?q=node/310
  • California Preservation Program: Helping preserve libraries and archives. (2008). Generic disaster plan workbook. Retrieved September 24, 2008, from http://calpreservation.org/services/disaster_assistance/
  • Halstead, Deborah; Jasper, Richard and Little, Felicia. (2005). Disaster planning: A how-to-do-it manual with planning templates on CD-ROM. NY: Neal-Schumann.
  • Library of Virginia. (2008). Workbook for Disaster Planning. Disaster planning for records managers, archivists, and librarians.
  • SOLINET. Preservation. Contents of a disaster plan. http://www.solinet.net/Preservation/Resources%20and%20Publications/
    Contents%20of%20a%20Disaster%20Plan.aspx

Remember, a small disaster plan marshalling key assets is better than no disaster plan. A beginner’s mistake is to attempt a plan that is too large and ambitious. Advice: Start small and add a little each year.

Obtain Local "Essential Service" Status

• FEMA does recognize public libraries’ "essential service" status.
• Objective: local public library “essential service” status with county emergency management, local government and utilities;
• "Essential service" means all will expedite public library restoration after a disaster. Specifically:
  
  • Public library managers will be allowed to assess library damage as soon as possible;
  • If a library can be re-opened, debris will be removed and minor damage repaired promptly;
  • Utilities, including telecommunications, will be restored rapidly;
  • Library personnel are assigned to the library during disaster recovery.
• Miami-Dade County has agreed to restore three county agencies after a hurricane: police, fire and public libraries.
• Visit emergency management, key local government leaders, local utility providers and others and Making the Case.

Participate in Coordinated Planning & Aid Efforts

• For Regional Planning Efforts see:
  
  • Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC). COSTEP: Coordinated Statewide Emergency Preparedness: An emergency response framework for the cultural community. Retrieved November 5, 2008, from http://statewideplan.pbwiki.com/
  • SEFLIN. Disaster planning and recovery resources. For further information: Tom W. Sloan, sloan@email.seflin.org, Executive Director SEFLIN Office 452, S.E. Wimberly Library, Florida Atlantic University 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431 Phone: 877-733-5460 (toll free); Fax: 561.208.0995

• For Mutual Aid Agreements (MOUs) see:
  
  • Lanz, Elena. (2009). SEFLIN MOU
  • Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters (CARD). (n.d.). Partnering for strength: MOUs Getting your relationships in print
  • Stier, Dan. (2008). An inventory of mutual aid agreements and related resources. Atlanta, GA: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control.

• Hodge, James G; Anderson, Evan and Teret, Stephen P. (2009, June).  Model memorandum of understanding among hospitals during declared emergencies. Baltimore, MD: PACER.

Prepare a Library Recovery Booklet

• Objective 1: Identify all library recover resources needed and available from within the library, from local emergency management, local government, local sources (e.g., schools, Home Depot), regional, state and national sources.
• Objective 2: Summarize recovery resource availability in a Library Recovery Booklet

Address Staff Training Needs

• Every staff member needs to know his role in a disaster;
• Every staff member needs to know why what he and the library does matters to the community;
• Every staff member needs the training to do her job in a disaster.
• There are a number of free online courses offered by FEMA NIMS and the Emergency Management Institute (EMI).

Plan For the Future

• If the library or indeed the community is destroyed, it is an opportunity, at high cost, to rebuild better when you are least prepared to think about it. Do it now!
• Participate in Florida Post-Disaster Redevelopment Planning.

Best Resources

Safe Haven Best Resources