Get Prepared: MayDay 2017
Join museums around the country in doing at least one thing in the month of May to prepare for an emergency. MayDay is an annual call to action for cultural organizations to improve their disaster readiness. Need ideas for steps to take?
- If you have a disaster plan, review it and update as needed.
- No disaster plan? This activity guide can help you get started.
- Create an 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 to 72 hours following a disaster.
- Conduct a building evacuation drill. Evaluate what could you do better.
- Invite local firefighters and police to your museum so they can understand your special needs. This poster outlines tips for working with emergency responders before, during, and after an emergency.
- Eliminate hazards such as items stored in hallways, blocked fire exits, or improper storage of paints and solvents.
- Create a crash 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?
- Register for a free course to learn how your institution fits into existing networks for emergency response and protocols for working with them effectively.
But wait…there are prizes! The Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (FAIC) has teamed up with Gaylord Archival to offer incentives for organizations that participate in MayDay 2017. Submit your preparedness activities to FAIC by May 31. They'll pick four lucky institutions on June 1.
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Janet Vaughan
Vice President, Membership & Programs
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
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