When cultural resources and objects are destroyed, we mourn the loss of something irreplaceable. As stewards of cultural objects, Fort Ticonderoga plays a role in preserving our cultural identity. It is up to museum staff to adhere to preventative measures, respond quickly and efficiently, and provide support through disaster recovery efforts. The safety of people is always the most important consideration in addition to minimizing the risk to the museum collections that we preserve for future generations. A current, comprehensive disaster preparedness and emergency response plan helps a museum to assess and manage risk, protect human life, and recover from natural and manmade disasters. Creating a plan and training museum staff, governing authority members, and volunteers on their roles within it ensures that a museum will be equipped to handle even the worst-case scenarios.
Please explore the below resource links for more information on disaster preparedness and creating or updating an emergency response plan for your institution:
https://dhpsny.org/resources#Disaster%20Preparedness
https://icom.museum/en/activities/heritage-protection/emergency-preparedness-and-response/
https://www.iccrom.org/wp-content/uploads/Guide-to-Risk-Managment_English.pdf
https://onlinegrad.syracuse.edu/blog/emergency-preparedness/
Photo: Fort Ticonderoga museum staff trained in disaster response and recovery when Fort Ticonderoga hosted a workshop run by the Documentary Heritage & Preservation Services of New York in 2017. Training paired with an updated plan is essential for moving into action quickly in the event of a disaster.