Disaster Preparedness for Individuals and Families

A list of resources to help you properly care for photographs, artwork, important records, historical books and cultural artifacts before and after a disaster.

Long-term Care and Protection

• Household and Personal Property Inventory Book
  Take stock of the items you own before a disaster. You are free to print out the forms for your own use. Includes helpful guides on insuring your possessions and taking an inventory.
• Resources for Private and Family Collections, Northeast Document Conservation Center
  Helpful hints to get you started on preserving your private collections.
• Caring for Your Treasures, American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Work
  The page is found in the left tool bar under the “Resource Center” link. Here you will find guides to caring for architecture, books, glass and ceramics, documents and works of art on paper, furniture, home videotape, metal objects, paintings, photographs, textiles, matting and framing, and more.
• Protect and Save Your Treasures, Heritage Preservation
  Identify hazards and disasters by location and discover how to best protect your family records and personal property.
• Suppliers List, Northeast Document Conservation Center
  Locate archival and conservator materials via the NEDCC’s easy online database. You can use several search methods to find the items you need to best protect and restore your family’s treasures.

After the Disaster

Who to Call

• Scott Carrlee, Curator of Museum Services, Alaska State Museum
  Conservator support for Alaskans following a disaster
• Disaster Assistance Hotline, Northeast Document Conservation Center
  Result of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The NEDCC offers a 24 hour emergency assistance program for institutions and individuals with damaged paper-based collections. Normally, it does not include on-site visits.
• Protect and Save Your Treasures, Heritage Preservation
  Locate regional conservation centers that provide 24-hour disaster assistance. Includes numerous links on repairing historic property.

The Process of Recovery

• Conservation Online Disaster Portal (CoOL)
  Extensive list of organizations, key contacts, documents on disaster recovery and more. If you can’t find the information elsewhere on the web, this page is worthy of a visit.
• Preserving Treasures after the Disaster, The Library of Congress Preservation Department
  Addresses water damage, mold, contamination, smoke and soot, air drying items, and finding a conservator. Provides numerous videos on the various procedures.
• Disaster Response and Recovery, American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Work
  The page is found in the left tool bar under the “Resource Center” link. Instructions on what to do first, how to care for water-damaged items and recovery of photographs after a flood.
• Preparing, Protecting, Preserving Family Treasures, Library of Congress
  Straightforward, step-by-step instructions prior to and following a disaster. Includes online videos on how to freeze material, air a book, interleave wet papers, dry photographs, and wash CDs and audio/video cassettes.

Last updated June 13, 2011