Collection Disaster Plan
Part 2 - Disaster Actions
Section 6: The Manual: Use Contents and Overriding Principles |
6.1 Introduction
This manual comprises Part 2 of the National Library of Australia Collection Disaster Plan. It is intended for use by those responsible for managing disaster response and recovery that affects collection material, and for staff assisting with recovery.
Section 7, Disaster Action Procedures: General, identifies possible disaster incidents which may affect collection material and presents basic principles and procedures designed to help managers to deal with such incidents. Immediate, short and long term actions are outlined.
Section 8, Detailed Disaster Action Procedures gives comprehensive immediate, short and long term action procedures for identified high, medium and low risk disaster incidents.
Section 9, Special Handling Instructions, provides relevant handling information for disaster affected material and covers the range of material held in the National Library's collections. It is intended for use by those responsible for coordinating response and recovery actions.
This manual also contains appendices which provide contact information for key Library personnel, expert outside assistance and emergency equipment and supplies.
6.2 Overriding Principles
The overriding principles in all situations are:
- Human safety has precedence over protection and/or removal of the collections, including material listed as nationally significant.
- Directives of emergency personnel are to be obeyed as they take legal authority in an emergency.
- All disaster response and recovery actions are to be well coordinated and well planned to achieve the best result.
- Collection items listed on the Register of Nationally Significant Material are given priority over all other collection material when affected by an emergency.
- Priority collection material should not be removed from the building in an emergency unless authorised by the Collections Disaster Coordinator and/or the EPC or Director General.
- All incidents and actions are to be fully documented.
6.3 Definitions of Actions
The aim of all immediate, short and long term actions is to:
- stabilise emergencies affecting collection material
- salvage and restore collection material
- rehabilitate affected areas
- return collection material to storage
- restore Library services as soon as possible
6.3.1 Immediate Actions
These are actions taken to immediately stabilise a situation and protect staff and collection material. Immediate action generally involves persons discovering an emergency assessing the situation and reporting it to those who need to know.
6.3.2 Short Term Actions
These are response actions taken to stabilise affected areas and protect collection material from further damage. Short term actions generally involve use of emergency supplies to cover collection material and contain the source of the emergency. Depending on the type of disaster short term actions also include assessment, consultation, documentation, planning, prioritisation and exchange of information to develop appropriate long term actions.
6.3.3 Long Term Actions
Long term actions are recovery actions taken to salvage and restore collection material and affected areas. They include long term planning, salvage and treatment of collection material, restoration work on affected areas, reassessment of planning, post disaster assessment and reporting.
It should be noted that disaster incidents can take many different forms necessitating the adjustment of response and recovery procedures to suit the situation. Disasters occur with uncertain combinations of wet, mouldy, burnt, smoke damaged and physically distorted collection material on an unpredictable scale. Every disaster has its own dilemmas requiring the right balance of assessment, decision and timely action, Type of disaster, type of material, location type of damage, available resources, opportunities for taking action and human safety are all likely to influence the decisions that need to be made and the allocation of priorities.
