Checklist for Disaster Actions: Prevent, Prepare, Respond, Recover

Actions	Completed?
Management Actions
1. Identify roles needed.
2. Create and maintain a Disaster Management folder.
Prevent Actions
1. Form an Archive Disaster Response Team and include contact details in the Disaster Management Folder.
2. Assess risks and document through Risk Tables and remedy through Action Plans.
Prepare Actions
1. Form an external Disaster Response Support Team and include the team contact details in the Disaster Management Folder.
2. Prepare a High Priority Media list and include in the Disaster Management folder.
3. Prepare a Safekeeping Rescued/Salvaged Media Plan and include in the Disaster Management folder.
4. Draw up an Emergency Services Contact List and include in the Disaster Management folder.
5. Prepare Emergency Response Sheets, including any needed summaries for noticeboards, and include in the Disaster Management folder.
6. Draw up Floor Plans and include in the Disaster Management folder.
7. Prepare a Staff Safety Checklist and include in the Disaster Management folder.
8. Obtain and stock Disaster Bin(s).
9. Secure insurance and provide details to organisation accountants or legal firm.
10. Create a Damage Checklist template and include copies in the Disaster Management folder.
11. Prepare Salvage Cheat Sheets with specialist advice and include in the Disaster Management folder.
12. Design and implement a Disaster Response Training Program, including drills and refreshers, in conjunction with the organisation’s WH&S Officer.
Actions	Completed?
Respond Actions
1. Contact relevant emergency services as needed.
2. Implement the Staff Safety Checklist and emergency procedures.
3. Following clearance to re-enter the Archive, clean up safely and assess whether the Archive’s temperature and humidity controls are operational or can be made operational while damage assessments are underway.
4. Contact external Disaster Response Support Team with initial information.
5. As an urgent action in response to a moderate or major disaster, set up a team or teams to work through all the affected media and create Damage Checklists along with photographic evidence.
6. Create a master list of damaged media.
7. Document the incident.
8. Contact the Insurance Company and brief them on the situation.
9. Contact Cultural Custodians to inform them of the damage and salvage operations needed.
Recover Actions
1. Consult with the Archive’s cultural custodians on any requirements for treating salvaged media.
2. Plan resources and facilities needed for salvaged media and create Recovery Action Plans and Recovery Work Teams.
3. Create inventories for each Recovery Action Plan and maintain the master list of damaged media.
4. Implement Recovery Action Plans and support staff and cultural custodians throughout.
5. Review the effectiveness of the Archive’s disaster management and modify, add to or extend the processes, procedures, forms and templates as needed for one or more of the Prevent, Prepare, Respond and Recover steps.

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