Disaster Planning
Disaster Planning also known as Disaster Preparedness, is a long established and well-researched approach to reducing the impact of these disasters.
Major natural disasters are a significant threat to collections. Over the last few years Australian has experienced floods, fires, and cyclones that have devastated communities throughout our states and affected the heritage held within institutions as well as those in the private sector, family memoribilia amongst them.
Be Prepared
Be Prepared is Australia's primary resource for Disaster Planning. Its practical guidelines have been produced to coordinate a national approach to caring for, and promoting access to Australia's heritage collections. These guidelines enable the museum sector to write useful Disaster Preparedness Plans. It is specifically written for museums that have few trained or paid staff and operate without conservators.
Be Prepared contains invaluable information for smaller institutions on assessing and planning for disasters such as training needs, assessment considerations, safety and damage checklists and templates based on established disaster management plans.
Download Be Prepared
Please note that Be Prepared has recently been transferred from the Collections Australia Network (CAN) prior to its closure. Be Prepared was originally published by the Heritage Collection Council in 2000 and some contact details for the publishing organisations may not be current.
The Ministry for the Arts, Attorney-General’s Department is the custodian and copyright holder for Be Prepared. It remains a valuable and important resource. Enquiries about this publication can be directed to: collectionsdevelopment@arts.gov.au
Need more information?
- Blue Shield Australia offers Red Cross services for culture! Blue Shield Australian is part of an international committee which works to protect the world's cultural heritage threatened by armed conflict and natural disasters.
- Heritage Preservation is an US based organisation providing information on disaster planning and response. They also sponsor the annual MayDay Save our Heritiage fundraising and awareness campaign.
