Managing Records:

Disaster Assistance

Emergency Preparedness and Records
Services to State Agencies
Services to Local Governments
Services to Historical Records Repositories
Services and Resources for All

Emergency Preparedness and Records

The New York State Archives is available to help you protect your records from disasters.  To be prepared for a disaster, keep in mind the following regarding your records and collections:

• Review your emergency response plan to ensure phone lists and other contact information are current.
• Revisit your institution’s priority collections (vital records) lists and locations.
• Verify your facilities layouts, with attention to evacuation routes and locations of stairs, exit doors, fire hoses, water and CO2 fire extinguishers, emergency lights, alarm pull boxes, sprinkler shut-off valves, and first-aid kits.
• Identify and, if necessary, acquire alternative power sources such as generators
• Gather plastic sheeting to be used as covering for collections, filing cabinets, and computer equipment stored in vulnerable locations.

If you’re affected by a disaster, contact us at ARCH_SOS@mail.nysed.gov.

Please note that we do not monitor this mailbox 24/7, but we will get back to you as soon as possible.

State Archives Services to State Agencies

• Technical Advice for Protecting Damaged Records
  When records are damaged or destroyed by a disaster, the agency records management officer (RMO) should notify the State Archives. Archives staff can provide RMOs with technical advice on protecting damaged records from further deterioration. For more information, refer to Section 188.13 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education or contact Collections Management or State Agency Services at (518) 474-6926.  
• Emergency Destruction of Records
  When agency records are believed to constitute a hazard to human safety or health or to property, the agency records management officer (RMO) may request authorization from the State Archives to destroy or dispose of such records immediately. For more information, refer to Section 188.12 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education or contact  Retention Scheduling and Appraisal at (518) 474-6926.

State Archives Services to Local Governments

• Technical Advice for Protecting Damaged Records
  Local governments should notify the State Archives when their records are damaged or destroyed by a disaster. Archives staff can provide you with technical advice on protecting damaged records from further deterioration. For more information, contact your Regional Advisory Officer or Collections Management at 474-6926. 
• Emergency Destruction of Records
  Local government may request permission from the Archives to destroy records that haven’t passed their legal retention periods if the records have been damaged by disaster and when the information is substantially destroyed or the records constitute a human health or safety risk. For more information, refer to Section 185.6(b) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education or contact Retention Scheduling and Appraisal at (518) 474-6926.
• Disaster Recovery Grants
  Local governments may be eligible for up to $20,000 in disaster recovery funding for damaged records. For eligibility requirements, please see the disaster grant guidelines and contact your State Archives' Regional Advisory Officer or call the Archives at (518) 474-6926.

Services to Historical Records Repositories

State Archives

Historical records repositories should ask the State Archives for assistance and advice when their records are damaged or destroyed by a disaster. Contact Collections Management at 474-6926 or the Regional Advisory Officer for your area.

Heritage Preservation

Heritage Preservation prepared a Guide to Navigating Federal Emergency Management Agency and Small Business Administration Disaster Aid for Cultural Institutions, which provides general information to those seeking federal funding for disaster response and recovery. For more information, refer to www.heritagepreservation.org/federal/index.html

Services and Resources for All

New York State Archives

• Preparing for the Worst: Managing Records Disasters
  Describes the steps necessary to anticipate, prevent, plan for, and recover from a disaster affecting records in any format. It includes a sample disaster management plan, data collection forms, and specific steps for responding to a disaster.
• Consultant and Vendor lists
• Disaster Recovery Vendors
• Data Recovery Vendors
• Fire Suppression Vendors
• Disaster Planning and Response workshops
  Provides information on how to judge your organization's risk of experiencing a disaster, reduce the chances that a disaster will destroy your records, prepare your organization for a disaster, and respond to a disaster safely and effectively. For information on where and when this workshop is being offered, refer to the Archives’ training page.
  
  

Disaster Prevention - Preparedness - Recovery Resources

Extensive lists of resources for institutions and individuals from New York State Education Department, Office of Cultural Education

New York State Emergency Management Office (SEMO)

Provides weather updates including flood warnings, watches, and advisories

• Emergency and Disaster Plans
  SEMO has developed a sample Comprehensive Emergency Management and Continuity of Operations Plan which provides a framework for state agencies to respond to an internal or external emergency that may present an immediate danger to life, health, and  agency property. This plan briefly discusses planning and responding to records-related disasters. SEMO has also developed a sample County Emergency Management Plan
• Emergency Equipment Stockpile
  SEMO makes available equipment on a temporary loan basis to local governments and state agencies primarily for drought relief, flooding, and emergency power and light generation. Available for loan are power generators; pumps, piping, and water filters; potable water tankers; portable light towers; chainsaws; chlorinators; and sandbag-filling machines. For more information, refer to www.semo.state.ny.us/programs/stockpile/stockpile.cfm

New York State Department of Labor

• Crisis Response Assistance
  The NYS Department of Labor’s Division of Safety and Health (DOSH) provides technical assistance and resources to SEMO and local emergency response agencies to protect first responders from health and safety risks. For more information, contact DOSH at (518) 457-2574

New York State Office of General Services (OGS)

• State Contract for Emergency Standby Services
  This contract is established to permit state agencies, local governments, school districts and others authorized by law to acquire needed products and  recovery services in the event that an emergency is declared by any political subdivision or the Governor of the State of New York. Contracts for Emergency Standby Services may be utilized only by or at the direction of SEMO. SEMO may make purchases, or may direct other State agencies or local governments to make purchases. For more information, refer to http://www.ogs.state.ny.us/purchase/snt/awardnotes/720064221can.HTM

Council of State Archives (CoSA)

• Intergovernmental Preparedness for Essential Records (IPER) Project
  IPER will develop and deliver records-related emergency preparedness training to state and local governments nationwide. It is funded by a $2.6 million grant from FEMA. For more information, refer to www.statearchivists.org/iper/index.htm
• Rescuing Family Records: A Disaster Planning Guide
  This practical manual describes the records that protect a family’s finances, health, civil rights, and family history. For more information, refer to http://www.statearchivists.org/prepare/families.htm

American Institute for Conservation (AIC)

Provides information about caring for your treasures, selecting a conservator, disaster response and recovery, workshops, and other resources. In addition, the Collections Emergency Response Team provides 24-hour phone assistance at (202) 661-8068. For more information, refer to http://www.conservation-us.org .

Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)

• 24-hour phone assistance at (978) 470-1010, and emergency management leaflets, and other disaster assistance resources. For more information, refer to http://www.nedcc.org
• Disaster Planning Resource (dPlan)
  For an example of a more comprehensive records disaster plan, refer to dPlan, which was developed by the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. 

Heritage Preservation

• Current Disaster Information
  For information about current resources for disaster preparedness and response, refer to www.heritagepreservation.org/PROGRAMS/TFcurrent.html
• Field Guide to Emergency Response
  This guide and accompanying DVD provides step-by-step instructions for handling an emergency, forming a disaster response team, and stabilizing your collections. For more information, refer to www.heritagepreservation.org/catalog/product.asp?IntProdID=33

Conservation OnLine (CoOL): Resources for Conservation Professionals

• Salvage at a Glance
  The Western Association for Art Conservation (WAAC) has produced this resource that outlines how to salvage various types of materials and media.