Disaster planning and management

Small public offices information briefingDecember 2004

Briefing objectives

• Describe the main stages in disaster management

• Identify major causes of disasters • Explain the benefits of assessing

risks to records and recordkeeping systems

• Develop an outline disaster plan

Aspects of disaster management

• Planning• Prevention• Response• Recovery

Standard on counter disaster strategies for records and recordkeeping systems

• Risk assessment– Identify and prioritise

• Counter disaster planning– Outline response to a disaster

• Vital records protection– Identify, document and protect

Planning tips• Plan for records as part of wider

business continuity planning• Think about risks to other offices in

shared premises • Pool resources with neighbouring

organisations• Establish offsite backups (not in same

building) – maybe in branch offices• Identify and protect those records you

need to operate during a disaster, as well as to recover from one

Prevention

• Take action to minimise risks identified in planning stage

• Ongoing facilities maintenance program• Establish business rules and procedures

for records management• Review storage facilities• Test your plan!

Response – Less haste, more speed [1]

• Detecting a disaster• Health and safety comes first!• Access the disaster plan• Assign roles • Assess damage• Secure the site• Document the disaster scene (photos)

Response – Less haste, more speed [2]

• Identify priorities for salvage (vital records first)

• Get access to advice on preservation and handling of affected records (in the plan, from external experts)

• Supplies on hand – disaster bins

Recovery – putting your plans into action

• Don’t panic• Identify what needs to be done to:

– prevent further damage, and– salvage records

• Brief recovery team and assign roles• Clean and repair records storage

facilities• Feed the troops… keep up morale

Further resources

• Standard and guidelines on counter disaster strategies for records and recordkeeping

• Sydney Curatorial and Custodians Disaster Preparedness Group

• State Records– Government Recordkeeping– Conservation