Heritage Preservation has produced a video that you can view free of charge from its web site, which demonstrates the basics of salvaging water-damaged materials.  They are providing the video in response to the recent flooding in the midwest, and in addition to describing and showing salvaging processes, it notes the things we need to be cautious about before wading in to try and save our collections.  Check out their online Bookstore–they offer a “disaster combo” of their Field Guide to Emergency Response and their Salvage Wheel, both of which are valuable assets to our preparedness resources (see the link to their site in the right side menu).  The DVD which comes with the Field Guide includes the content of the free video plus much other information, even giving tips on how to deal with wildlife which may find its way into your building after a disaster (probe with a long stick before reaching into a dark area…!).  While most of us probably don’t think of ourselves as conservators, the information from Heritage Preservation might at least help us know what NOT to do until the professionals arrive!

Here’s a mashup of media reports of incidents at schools in the United States and Canada. You’ll find news stories on incidents such as bus accidents, bomb threats, intruders, shootings, and campus lockdowns.

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management hosted a state-wide emergency management conference in mid-March, featuring presentations by emergency planners who have successfully used GIS (Geographic Information System) techniques to assist in planning for and responding to events such as flooding, a radiological event from a nuclear power station, hazmat incidents and search-and-rescue operations.  Check here to find the list of presentations, available from the state’s site in PDF format, and see some excellent examples of the use of technology to assist in emergency response.

Heritage Preservation is encouraging cultural institutions to observe May Day this year by reviewing our preparedness situations, starting with “Do one thing for emergency preparedness.” There are some good suggestions for all of us with regard to our disaster plans and preparedness activities, plus some information about classes and other resources available for use in planning. Check it out here: http://www.heritagepreservation.org/PROGRAMS/TFlessons/MayDayInfo.html

So a coughing or sneezing patron leaves a book in the library’s bookdrop. How long can the viruses that may be riding along on the book survive, possibly to be picked up by an unwary library worker or the next patron? See the CDC’s Q & A on Preventing Seasonal Flu to find out!

Ready.gov is making available a wealth of information about preparation for and strategies for dealing with winter weather.  They have instructions about what to do if you’re trapped in your car during a blizzard, how to recognize and begin treatment for hypothermia, a list of supplies to have on hand at home “just in case.”  Winter storms are called “deceptive killers” because it is their side-effects, the peripheral damage, such as power outages and traffic accidents that cause the most deaths.  The info is helpful to know even if you don’t live in a winter-weather prone area; it might come in handy if you’re travelling, plus power-outages happen everywhere and any time!

Ready.gov is making available a wealth of information about preparation for and strategies for dealing with winter weather.  They have instructions about what to do if you’re trapped in your car during a blizzard, how to recognize and begin treatment for hypothermia, a list of supplies to have on hand at home “just in case.”  Winter storms are called “deceptive killers” because it is their side-effects, the peripheral damage, such as power outages and traffic accidents that cause the most deaths.  The info is helpful to know even if you don’t live in a winter-weather prone area; it might come in handy if you’re travelling, plus power-outages happen everywhere and any time!

Microsoft has released a new software and services platform, HealthVault, to help people store and manage their health information online, as well as search for health information.  This looks like an excellent resource for use by people in disaster-prone areas, such as hurricane and tornado alleys.  Keeping health-related records “off-site” through a service such as HealthVault would enable people who are suddenly displaced to retrieve information about prescriptions, medical records, etc. from anywhere.  We know, from the lessons learned courtesy of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, that many people who were forced to evacuate were not able to remember the names of their medications in many cases, recalling only the color and the number of pills they usually took.

Could promoting this be a role for librarians, especially in hospital settings?

After a disaster, one of the first responses we all think of is to let our co-workers, friends and family know that we’re okay, and to check on them if they were affected by a disaster. The American Red Cross provides an excellent opportunity for this from their home page, free to everyone and easy to use. See their “Safe and Well” page.

After a disaster, one of the first responses we all think of is to let our co-workers, friends and family know that we’re okay, and to check on them if they were affected by a disaster. The American Red Cross provides an excellent opportunity for this from their home page, free to everyone and easy to use. See their “Safe and Well” page.