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Disaster Assistance

 

Telephone Assistance

 

On-Site Assistance

 

Online Resources

TELEPHONE ASSISTANCE

24/7 Collections Emergency Hotline: 1-855-245-8303

NEDCC staff members are available 24/7 to provide telephone advice to institutions and individuals handling collection-related disasters. Information provided includes advice on drying wet collections and dealing with damage from fire, pests, and mold. This service does not include on-site assistance.

National Heritage Responders: 1-202-661-8068

The American Institute for Conservation’s National Heritage Responders (NHR) is a highly skilled team of conservators and other collections care professionals with expertise in emergency response. NHR members provide advice and on-site response to institutions via the hotline number listed above. All assistance provided by the NHR is free. Less urgent questions can also be answered by emailing [email protected]Individuals and the general public should email [email protected] for advice. 

On-site Assistance

Disaster Recovery Service Providers

Some disasters — such as those involving contaminated water or large mold outbreaks — are too large or complex for an institution or individual to handle alone. In these instances, NEDCC recommends working with a disaster remediation company experienced in handling cultural heritage collections. The following companies have expertise in this area and can be reached around the clock:  

       
  Belfor   800-856-3333

  BMS Cat   877-730-1948

  Polygon   800-422-6379
       

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners: 1-800-952-7403, x236

For Massachusetts public libraries only. MBLC staff is available to provide information, advice, and assessment either by telephone or on-site visit.

National Heritage Responders: 1-202-661-8068

The American Institute for Conservation’s National Heritage Responders (NHR) is a highly skilled team of conservators and other collections care professionals with expertise in emergency response. NHR members are available to provide advice to individuals as well as advice and on-site response to institutions. (NHR members do not normally provide on-site assistance to individuals, although it may be possible to do so in conjunction with other collections in an affected region.) All assistance provided by the NHR is free.

Online RESOURCES 

         
Response and Recovery   Preparedness   dPlan|ArtsReady
         

Disaster Response and Recovery Resources

Fire Damage

Water Damage

Other Topics

Preparedness Resources

Emergency Planning

Flood Preparedness

  • USGS Water Watch – includes a national map of flood and high flow conditions with the ability to drill down to the state and local level for flood tracking. 

Hurricane Preparedness

  • Hurricane Season 2020 Readiness Webinar– learn more about the hazards posed by tropical storms and hurricanes, particularly in southern New England; how to evaluate hurricane-related threats to your facilities; and the process of constructing a mitigation plan. From NWS Boston Lead Meteorologist Matthew Belk.
  • Hurricanes – resources from Ready.gov for personal safety before, during, and after a hurricane. Available in English and 12 other languages.
  • National Hurricane Center – real-time information on current and developing tropical disturbances.
  • NOAA Climate Prediction Center – issues forecasts for hurricane seasons, for example, this forecast for 2022 in the Atlantic.

Wildfire Preparedness

Other Topics



NEDCC is grateful for support from the National Endowment for the Humanities for its collections emergency hotline, training programs, outreach activities, and web resources.


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(Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these resources do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.)