Florida Art Museum Directors Association

Florida Association of Museums > Professional Development > Professional Resources > Florida Connecting to Collections Program > Emergency Plans > Emergency Personnel

Emergency Personnel

The “human” element of developing your emergency plan can be a challenging part of creating this essential institutional document. This can include the people factor – taking into consideration the staff and visitors that will be directly affected by components of your emergency plan, as well as interacting with emergency personnel and first responders. By building a positive relationship with emergency responders, and learning about the communication systems they use such as Incident Command System (ICS), your institution will be in a better position when an emergency occurs.

Webinars

Note:  When viewing the webinars a new browser page will open.

Activity
Discussion Questions

  • Incident Command Systems-Prior to the creation of Incident Command System, first responders from various fields often arrived on the site of a disaster only to find they were unable to effectively communicate with each other. Why do you think it is important for your institution to understand the basics of ICS? How can you implement the ICS system into your emergency plan?
  • People Factor-Knowing who is trained for emergency situations and how to contact them is one step toward preparing your institution for a disaster. Creating a formalized list of contacts, teams, and their emergency numbers can help save your collections in emergency situations. Discuss responsibilities of each individual on the team. Consider practical issues such as how far a staff member might live from the museum or cell phone reception.
  • Working with First Responders-The webinars stressed how important it is to make contact with your local first responders, including your fire department, police department, and emergency medical technicians (EMT). Have you made contact with your local first responders? If so, in what ways have they assisted with the development of your emergency plan? If not, share ideas and solicit input from staff members about how to make contact and keep connected with first responders.

Samples
Incident Command Systems
Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum – ICS Sample (.pdf)

People Factor
Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum – People Sample (.pdf)

Manatee County Historical Records Library – People Sample (.pdf)

Note: When viewing the samples a new browser page will open.

Online Resources
Emergency Personnel
Florida Division of Emergency Management
http://www.floridadisaster.org/
See left side-bar for topics on emergency plans, disaster prevention, and Florida hazards

Florida Division of Emergency Management, County Emergency Management Listing
http://www.floridadisaster.org/County_EM/county_list.htm

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Extreme Weather Information Sheets (contacts and weather monitoring resources)
http://www.ncddc.noaa.gov/activities/weather-ready-nation/newis/

Incident Command Systems (ICS)
American Institute of Conservation (AIC), Heritage Emergency Program, Courses in Emergency Management for Cultural Heritage Responders
http://www.conservation-us.org/emergencies/emergencymanagmentcourses#.V5jagdArKnQ

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Independent Study Program
http://training.fema.gov/IS/

The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) offers free, self-paced courses designed for people who have emergency management responsibilities. Recommended first classes:

  • IS-100.b-Introduction to Incident Command System, ICS-100
  • IS-700.a NIMS An Introduction

Rescuing Records.com, ICS for Cultural Institutions
https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=implementing+the+incident+command+system+at+the+institutional+level&type=

People Factor
American Institute for Conservation (AIC), Health and Safety Publications
http://www.conservation-us.org/publications-resources/health-safety#.Vo04wZMrI3o

Center for Disease Control, Workplace Safety & Health Topics for Storm/Flood and Hurricane Response
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emres/flood.html

National Park Service (NPS), Museum Handbook, Part I: Museum Collections, Chapter 11 – Curatorial Health and Safety
http://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/MHI/CHAP11.pdf