Disaster Planning Meeting: Mitigation

(Estimated 1 – 1 ½ hours)

Homework to be completed before the meeting:

  1. Develop a list of up to ten events that the organization is most likely to face (flooding, burst water pipes, hurricane, etc.)

Materials for meeting:

  1. Copy of MEMA’s cultural hazard analysis for each participant
  2. Copy of NEDCC’s upkeep checklist
  3. Flip chart for brainstorming (optional)

Meeting agenda:

  1. Circulate copies of and discuss the cultural hazard analysis developed by MEMA
  2. Have the group develop a list of priority events to plan using the following criteria
  3. What events are most likely to happen (are you on a flood plain, near train tracks, on the coast, making renovations?)
  4. What kind of events will potentially do the most damage?
  5. What kind of events is it most possible to pre-plan for (eg. a weather forecast can let you know about the approach of a hurricane, allowing you to take protective measures)?
  6. Working with that list, develop practical, possible measures that could mitigate the impact of the prioritized events
  7. What kind of maintenance or building changes can be made to prevent problems?
  8. If you have forewarning of an event, what temporary measures may be taken to prevent problems (putting plywood over the windows before a hurricane, having staff present whenever contractors are working, etc.)
  9. What training may be useful in helping staff or volunteers respond to a sudden event (eg. how to use a fires extinguisher, how to respond to an active shooter?)
  10. Circulate copies of the NEDCC upkeep checklist and discuss:
  11. Which items are applicable to the organization
  12. How the organization will check in with each item, and how frequently
  13. What other items specific to the organization should be added to the list
  14. Assign homework
  15. Document the mitigation measures identified for each scenario
  16. Document the training the organization would like to receive
  17. Document the upkeep priorities and schedule
  18. Assign homework to be completed to prepare for the next meeting

Mitigation Meeting Background:

Before the disaster happens, what can you do to minimize potential damage? Quite often there are simple steps that you can take in advance to prevent significant damage to your building and collections.

From CERC’s experience with 30 organizations, this may be one of the trickiest meetings to navigate (and in truth, very few of the organizations we worked with decided to do this level of disaster planning). Disaster planning can quickly become an overwhelming process if you bite off more than you can chew, and this is the area in which that is most likely to happen. Remember not to overwhelm yourself by insisting on a perfect plan that addresses all scenarios, but ultimately paralyzes the disaster planning process. Having a completed, solid plan for mitigating the most likely events is far better than taking 2 years to complete a far more comprehensive plan. You can always build on it later.

Who Should Attend This Meeting:

The Mitigation Meeting should include the same people involved with the Facilities Meeting - representation from the organization’s decision makers/leadership, facilities and collections people (whether staff or volunteer), and those that may be called to respond to an after-hours alarm. You may also want to include staff or volunteers responsible for collections care and/or front-line staff or volunteers that may be in the position of manning the facility alone or be responsible for helping to evacuate visitors.

Suggestions:

In working through this process with 30 different organizations, CERC has found that it works best when:

  • You focus on the most likely events that your organization may encounter. Are you on a flood plain? On the coast? In a particularly snowy area? How old is your building, and what is the likelihood that you may have problems with the plumbing or electrical systems? MEMA’s Cultural Hazard Analysis can help you think through what you are most likely to face.
  • You brainstorm, but keep the group reined in. This meeting is where what if? gets asked the most, which can be a useful way to help decide what scenarios to plan for. However, we worked with some groups that would have happily envisioned different doomsday scenarios and tried to solve them for 4 hours straight – and then picked up where they left off at the next meeting. The meeting facilitator needs to recognize the moment that the group has reached a “good enough” moment and get them to move on.
  • You completely prepare for simple things. For instance, one library we worked with recognized that water damage was their most likely scenario, whether from a broken pipe, the sprinklers going off in a fire, or window damage during a hurricane. They decided to pre-cut and label heavy duty plastic sheeting for all their stacks so that they can quickly protect them in a water event. In the same way, some coastal organizations store pre-cut sheets of plywood to cover their windows in a storm.
  • You are willing to accept that you will not be able to adequately plan for some circumstances.

Things to Think About in the Meeting:

  • Does your organization have room to store items that may be used for mitigation purposes, or will doing so create other problems with access to exits or utility controls?
  • What sorts of general upkeep is it realistic for your organization to consistently maintain? Are there strategies you can use to make the most of your resources (for instance, getting a trustworthy volunteer to check key things from the upkeep list once a month)?

What to Do With the Information:

Simple documentation of the information that comes out of this meeting is sufficient in most cases.

Examples are on the following pages.

Mitigation

Power Failure

In case of a Power Failure, Westeros Memorial Library (WML) will close the facility early before it is too dark to see, and make sure the library is fully evacuated. Emergency lights will turn on throughout the library once power goes out. If more resources are needed during a power outage the library may get in contact with the Town Hall or the Academy.

Heavy Snow/Ice

WML Staff will post signs outside the library whenever it snows or ices, saying “Caution! Falling snow and ice”. For snow or ice may fall off the roof. The sidewalks and pathways surrounding the library will be pre-salted ahead of time if snow is foreseeable. All sidewalks and pathways around the library will be shoveled once it has snowed to ensure proper accessibility to both enter and exit the library safely. Staff will monitor the flat portion of the roof for cracks/leaks from snow weight. If the weight of the snow becomes a prevalent issue, the roof will be shoveled as well.

Wind

Staff will monitor trees surrounding the building that may be likely to fall during a strong wind event. In extreme wind events, staff and patrons may take shelter in the lower level of their building.

Flooding

In the case of flooding, WML has a sump pump located in the elevator shaft. There are floor drains in place in the lower level floors. WML is experienced at taking dehumidification measures on the lower level. Some of those measures include: spreading the word of need to townspeople, and getting fans borrowed; and using air duct circulation in order to dry out the lower level.

Fire

WML currently has working smoke and heat detectors, as well as fire extinguishers located throughout the building. WML will also practice prevention measures such as closing interior doors such as the kitchen door, and the ground level door, in order to help prevent a fire from possibly spreading.

Additional Potential Disasters

The following potential disasters have also been discussed, with no finalized mitigation plans as yet:

Facility/Infrastructure Failure (Boiler), Insect/Rodent Infestation, Water Damage, Environmental Conditions (mildew), Town Wide Illness/Large Absences of Staff.

Mitigation Activities Calendar

Event / Frequency of Reoccurrence / Date(s) Completed
Fire Department Walk Through / Annually (Mid-Fall)
Building Evacuation Drill / Annually (Mid-Fall/ October)
Elevator Evacuation Drill / Every 5 Years (Mid-Fall/October)
Fire Extinguisher Training / Annually (With extinguisher inspection in January)
First Aid/CPR Training / Every 2 Years
AED Training / Every 5 Years
New Staff Orientation to the Disaster Plan / 3 months after hiring
Staff Review of the Disaster Plan / Annually (End of Dec./Beginning of Jan.)
Board Review of the Disaster Plan / Annually (Dec./Jan. Meeting)