MayDay

Continuing in the tradition established by the Society of American Archivists (SAA) and Heritage Preservation, CoSA joins the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) and other organizations concerned with historic preservation to encourage libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and preservation organizations to set aside May 1 each year to participate in MayDay. This year, make sure your institution is prepared!

Missed May 1st? There's still time to take part in MayDay, an annual call to action to improve your archives', library's or museum's disaster readiness. Can you do at least one thing this month - or any month - to prepare for an emergency? Need ideas for steps to take?

• Review your disaster plan and update as needed. Tabletop Exercises for Cultural Institutions by David Carmicheal can help test your emergency planning and response!
• No disaster plan? This free activity guide can help you get started.
• Create a Pocket Response Plan (PReP) with the most essential information: contact information for staff, first responders, and other critical individuals plus a checklist of actions to take in the first 24-72 hours following a disaster.
• Conduct a building evacuation drill. Evaluate what could you do better.
• Get to know your local firefighters and police--invite them to come tour your institution and give you pointers on safety and preparedness.
• Eliminate hazards, such as items stored in hallways, blocked fire exits, or improper storage of paints and solvents.
• Create an emergency cart with supplies for collections threatened by damage from water (roof leaks, broken water pipes, malfunctioning sprinkler systems).
• Identify and label priority collections for evacuation during an emergency. Which are most important to your mission, irreplaceable, or most fragile?

For more information and ways to be prepared, please visit FAIC's MayDay webpage.