Disaster Planning & Response

Overview

This section includes the response plan for the Parners’ collections materials in temporary custody in CJH labs, Reading Room, and Rare Bookroom as well as information to help supplement Partners’ own disaster plans for their materials in the stacks including suggested contents for disaster supply kits, CJH contact numbers, the Center’s Emergency Action Plan, samples of suggested signage and reports, and useful Web links.

Disaster Preparedness Plan (2019)

Disaster Preparedness Plan CENTER FOR JEWISH HISTORY DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLAN FOR THE CONCOURSE LEVEL, READING ROOM/GI, INTERNAL ARCHIVES, AND BERG RARE BOOK ROOM Created November 2013, last updated February 2019 OVERVIEW This plan has been created to help ensure the continuity of operations for the Archive and Library Services (“ALS”) Division of the Center for Jewish History in the event of an emergency occurring in the C-level labs, collections services areas and institutional archives storage on the 3rd floor, and the Berg Rare Book Room on the Ground Floor. This action plan includes staff procedures and steps to be taken to prepare for and respond to a disaster to the Center that poses a potential threat to collections and services provided by the offices within the Archive and Library Services Division. It is hoped that adherence to this plan will minimize damage to the collections and will assist in speedy restoration of routine workflows to the CJH patron community. The C-level is below grade and at a high risk of flooding in extreme weather situations; the Reading Room and GI areas have a history of leaks and mold, and the Institutional Archives storage area and the Berg Room have less than ideal environmental controls that could result in mold or insect incursions. In addition, storms and coastal flooding have become more frequent and more severe and we can expect they will continue to threaten Manhattan. Should the New York City Office of Emergency Management issue a warning for our area or should some unexpected event occur, this plan will allow us to quickly prepare and hopefully prevent any incident from becoming catastrophic so that we maintain our ability to provide superior collections access and management services to our Partners and user groups. For more information about disaster response and recovery for collections materials, please see CJH’s more comprehensive Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan. Contents Summary Communication and Responsibilities Disaster Preparedness and Response Procedures For Expected and Unexpected Events Contact list COMMUNICATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES COMMUNICATING EMERGENCY INFORMATION There are several roles outlined in the plan below. The plan requires the cooperation and coordination of the Partners, as well as the speedy involvement of CJH Archives and Library services staff. If you see something that poses a threat to collections materials, immediately contact Building Operations, Security, or Preservation so that the problem can be quickly rectified. If damage has occurred to collections or if collections need to be moved to protect them from damage, contact the Head of Archive and Library Services or one of the alternates listed on the CJH-ALS Primary Emergency Contact list. The CJH-ALS Primary Emergency Contact will then contact the CJH Disaster Team and the Partner Emergency Response Point Persons as necessary based on the location and extent of the threat. RESPONSIBILITIES The CJH Executive and Senior Management, specifically the CEO and Director of Operations will make all decisions about building closures and other necessary safety measures. In addition, with support from the CFO and Director of Archive and Library Services, they will be responsible for coordinating the appropriate dispersal of funds to disaster response vendors and equipment providers, contacting insurers regarding losses, and facilitating the flow of information among first responders, recovery vendors, and CJH and Partner staff. The CJH Senior Manager for Collections Services, in conjunction with the Preservation Services Manager and Director of Archive and Library Services, is responsible for alerting the Partner Emergency Response Point Persons of potential disasters threatening their collections and their responsibilities during a disaster, orienting CJH staff to disaster plan updates and procedures, and ensuring intellectual and physical control over all materials removed from CJH locations. The CJH Disaster Team is responsible for securing their respective work areas in the event of an emergency to ensure continuity of operations to the extent possible. In addition, they are required to maintain an inventory of Partner collection materials being held in their work areas and to provide that inventory to the Senior Manager for Collections Services as needed. Each person in the Disaster Team should know the location of the Emergency Response bin in their work area and should contact Preservation Services if they are low on disaster supplies. The Partner Emergency Response Point Persons are representatives from each of the Partner organizations and who will be responsible for moving their respective collections to Partner stacks. Partner Emergency Response Point Persons will be responsible for providing appropriate book carts and for providing the Senior Manager for Collections Services with updated location information for relocated collections materials. During the post-disaster and recovery phase, Partner Emergency Response Point Persons will be responsible for moving damaged items to the Conservation Lab for treatment. If collections need to be moved outside of normal work hours or in the case of a fast-moving, immediate threat, the Director of Archive and Library Services has the right to decide to have Center staff move materials without consulting Partner Staff until after the threat has been contained. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PROCEDURES FOR EXPECTED AND UNEXPECTED EVENTS UNEXPECTED Small scale Some unexpected “disasters” are only dangerous on a small scale, for instance Live rodents found nesting in a storage box A patron who is defacing collections materials Condensation forming on a wall One book or box with mold growth can easily be controlled by immediately contacting the Senior Manager for Collections Services or Preservation Services Manager. Large scale Most unexpected, large disasters that threaten collections will also pose a threat to staff and user safety. In the event of an occurrence such as Earthquake Fire Large pipe burst Staff should follow the directions of the Center for Jewish History’s Fire Life Safety Director, Director of Operations, or their floor Safety Officer. Collections and vital equipment should only be draped in plastic or relocated if this can be done without any risk to human life. Once the threat has been neutralized and the building deemed safe, Building Operations and Collections Management staff will assess the damage to collections and equipment and respond appropriately. Partner Executive Directors and Emergency Response Point People will be contacted by the Director of Archive and Library Services as soon as possible once an initial assessment has been completed. If it is necessary and safe to protect collections and vital equipment, follow the instructions found in 24-36 hours before a Category 1 or higher storm, or flood warning on pages 6-7 of this document. In the case of an extreme immediate threat to collections materials when it is impracticable to contact Partner staff, collections materials should be relocated to a safe and secure CJH space. Should this occur, all collections materials should be labeled with the name of the owning partner and an identification number (call number, accession number, etc.). EXPECTED Before a weather event (Watch Phase) The Director of Operations (in their absence, next alternate) will notify CJH staff when a weather event watch is in effect for the New York City area and when the Archives and Library Services Division must take precautions to protect collections, equipment, and workspaces. If the watch happens outside of normal working hours, the CEO, Director of Operations, and/or Director of Archives and Library Services will determine which CJH staff should come into the building to assist with emergency preparations. 48-72 hours before a Category 1 or higher storm, or flood warning: 1. Archive and Library Services work will continue as normal. 2. ALS Disaster Team assesses collection material holdings in each section and gathers carts and trolleys in preparation for evacuating collection material. 3. Preservation Services manager checks over disaster preparedness kits (stored in metal supply cupboard on C-level, near Exit Stair A, and in the Holds Room of the Reading Room) to make sure all equipment is there. Flashlights and their batteries contained within the kits and in the labs should be tested. 4. ALS Disaster Team and the Senior Manager for Collection Services meet to go over the CJH disaster plan. This should also involve checking emergency recovery vendors to make sure their contact information is up-to-date. 5. The Senior Manager for Collection Services prints out and distributes updated copies of CJH disaster plan and emergency contact lists for all staff members to keep at home. It is especially important for the members of the ALS Disaster Team to have this information and expect that they may be called into work after the weather emergency. 6. ALS Disaster Team creates an updated list of all collections materials currently held in their respective labs and maintains the list offsite. Important lab files necessary for continuity of operations should be saved to a thumb drive and stored offsite. 7. The Senior Manager for Collection Services requests that each Partner provide a shelf list of materials currently held in the Reading Room and the Berg Rare Book Room and asks that they designate a preferred relocation area should those areas be directly threatened. The Senior Manager will distribute that information to the Preservation Services and Reading Room Point Persons. 8. The Institutional Archivist updates the shelf list of all boxes in storage in the IA and stores the list remotely. 9. Reading Room Staff print out extra paper call slips and paper registration forms if necessary and move all photocopy records and forms to the closet behind the Reading Room Desk. 24-36 hours before a Category 1 or higher storm, or flood warning: If time is short, please do as much as possible in this order: 1. With the coordination of the Partner Emergency Point People evacuate all Partner collection material from C-level labs to Partner stacks from where the materials originated. The Partners are responsible for providing book carts, clearing stack space, and documenting the new location of the refugee collections materials. 2. Evaluate threats to the first and third floors and mitigate potential risks to CJH and Partner collections: Reading Room/GI If necessary, Partner Emergency Response Point Persons, Reading Room Point Person, and the Preservation Services Manager will evacuate all collection material from Reading Room to Partner stacks using respective partner book carts. Reading Room Point Person must make sure the location of all material is recorded at the shelf-level so that it can be retrieved later: Volumes Archival folders and boxes Finding Aids Institutional Archives The Institutional Archivist, in coordination with the Senior Manager for Collection Services, removes all records from the floor and decides whether the situation requires the records to be draped with plastic. Berg Rare Book Room The Preservation Services Manager makes sure that all collections materials in the Berg Room are in the cases or flat files and decides whether the situation requires that materials/storage/exhibit furniture be draped with plastic. 3. Evacuate expensive and sensitive portable equipment from C-level labs, below the skylight in the Reading Room and near windows in the GI to M-level interior offices or the IA. Follow lists of equipment: Conservation Lab: suction table’s vacuum suction unit (detach hoses first) all electrical equipment located in shelving underneath the small sink vacuum cleaner iPad and laptop Archival Processing Lab: computer towers external hard drives Digital Lab 1: 7 DSLR cameras Computer towers External hard drives Metadata Lab Computer towers 4. Move other C-level materials and equipment of value above floor level, to bench/table height, where possible. Archival Processing Lab: any computers at floor level Digital Lab 1: computers and cables 5. Cover sensitive equipment in the labs and Reading Room/GI, including computers, archival materials and work tables with heavy-duty plastic and tape down to secure. Disconnect power cords and secure above floor level. IN THE EVENT OF THE EVACUATION OR CLOSING OF CENTER FOR JEWISH HISTORY DUE TO AN EMERGENCY Upon official notification that a Storm Warning is in effect, the CEO or Director of Operations will close the Center for Jewish History: 1. An initial closing announcement made during normal business hours will be sent via Center community email. Outside of those hours, an announcement is sent via the emergency alert system. 2. If this happens during working hours, all non-staff (visitors, researchers, volunteers) may be directed to leave the building when the announcement is made. The staff that are not assisting with emergency preparations may be directed to leave at this point as well. 3. Follow the instructions of Security personnel and designated Emergency Response floor wardens. DURING THE EVACUATION While the building is evacuated, no staff (except for key personnel) are allowed inside. The Center for Jewish History has a back-up generator that will provide power for emergency electrical panels and elevators in case of power failure. Security staff members are always on-site at the Center for Jewish History, even during extreme weather circumstances such as a hurricane. Security will do regular walks through the building to assure that the building is as secure and protected as possible. One security guard is also positioned at the phone by the 16th Street front desk to answer calls. If there is any minor damage or incident affecting collection material storage areas (say, a leaky skylight in the Reading Room), the security staff will do what they can to divert or clean up the water. They will also move portable carts out of the danger area and will cover affected stationary collection materials and nearby areas with heavy-duty plastic. If there is damage to the collection items, security staff members will NOT move the items and will leave the handling to CJH and Partner Emergency Response Point Persons (or other pre-approved disaster recovery vendors). The CEO or Director of Operations will report the conditions of the building to Partner Executive Directors, CJH ALS Primary Emergency Contacts, and Partner Emergency Response Point Persons. Again, the safety of people takes priority over damage to the building or to the collections contained within. No staff members are allowed back into the Center if there is any danger of structural insufficiency to the walls/shelving or danger of electrocution. UPON REOPENING Once the building is declared safe to enter, the Preservation Services Manager and the Senior Manager for Collections Services will coordinate the following recovery scenarios (listed in increasing levels of severity) with lab and Partner staff. Please note: Partners are responsible for all disaster response efforts in the Stacks, their exhibit areas, and in their offsite storage areas. 1) No water in the labs, RR/GI, IA, or Berg but there was a lack of power for more than 24-48 hours: a) Remove plastic sheeting and bags from all furniture, equipment, archival materials, etc. to maximize airflow b) Inspect for mold growth, especially on paper-based materials c) Inspect all areas in the C-level including the YUM exhibit prep and textile labs and the processing storage closet to make sure that there is no water d) Bring in disaster response equipment and management to dehumidify and circulate air if necessary. Use generators to power equipment if no electricity is available 2) Water intrusion or localized sprinkler release: a) Building Operations staff secure the leak/sprinkler so no more water comes in and will inspect all areas in the basement including the YUM exhibit prep and textile labs and the processing storage closet to check for water. b) If at all possible, take photos of the damage for later insurance claims c) Remove as much of the water as possible using cleaning equipment and a water vacuum d) If necessary, call disaster relief contractor to set up generators and dehumidifiers e) Set up fans to get the air circulating ASAP f) Start recovery of wet/damaged collection materials. Partner collection managers should be brought in to assist in, or otherwise contacted to keep them informed of, the drying operation. Also consult Partner disaster plans for salvage priority lists. Depending on which materials are damaged and to what degree, the following steps may be necessary:} i) Lightly wet materials may be air-dried inside CJH ii) Wrap and freeze high priority items for later conservation. Create an inventory of these affected items. iii) Low priority items that are damaged may be disposed with approval from the Partners. Create an inventory of these disposed items. g) Start recovery of wet/damaged equipment and collection materials. 3) Large-scale release of sprinklers, tidal surge with water inside the building and/or extensive flooding with water standing in the building: Same procedure as #2 above but at any evidence of paper materials having been soaked, it is critically important to get dehumidifiers in as quickly as possible. Thoroughly waterlogged materials must be either immediately frozen or, if not essential materials, removed from the building and disposed of as soon as possible. Create inventory lists of all material affected. Remember: within 24-48 hours without air conditioning, with humidity above 60-70% and air temperatures above 70 degrees, mold and mildew will grow on all surfaces. This could destroy an entire collection, even if there is no apparent moisture on the materials! Airflow is helpful in slowing the process, but reducing humidity is the key factor. It is critical that relative humidity below 60% and temperature below 75°F is attained and maintained to prevent secondary damage. Always create an inventory of affected items and what happens to them. See CJH’s disaster plan for more detailed information about the recovery of wet or damaged materials. CONTACT LIST TO REPORT A THREAT Name Title Contact Melissa Minaya Director of Operations x8208 Orlando Magana Fire Life Safety Director x8351 Jennifer Sainato Preservation Services Manager x5172 Sarah Hopley Senior Manager for Collections Services x1043 PRIMARY EMERGENCY CONTACTS FOR THE CJH ARCHIVES AND LIBRARY SERVICES DIVISION Emergency Name Title Contact First Emergency Contact Rachel Miller Director of Archive and Library Services Work: x8215, rmiller@cjh.org Home: 862-222-5084 (cell); 718-499-2705 (landline) rcm273@gmail.com Alternate Contact Sarah Hopley Senior Manager for Collections Services Work: x1054 shopley@cjh.org; Mobile: 608-577-5107; shopley@gmail.com Second Alternate Contact Jennifer Sainato Preservation Services Manager Work: x5172 jsainato@cjh.org; Mobile: 347-248-9720; jensainato@hotmail.com Second Alternate Contact Jen Rodewald Digital and Creative Services Manager Work:x8213 jrodewald@cjh.org; Mobile: 917-582-2765; Jennifer.rodewald@gmail.com CENTER FOR JEWISH HISTORY DISASTER TEAM Name Title Contact Disaster Recovery Director/Rehabilitation Supervisor Sarah Hopley Senior Manager for Collection Services Work: x1054 shopley@cjh.org; Mobile: 608-577-5107; shopley@gmail.com Preservation Lab Point Person Jennifer Sainato Preservation Services Manager Work: x5172 jsainato@cjh.org; Mobile: 347-248-9720; jensainato@hotmail.com Processing Lab and Institutional Archives Point Person Andrey Filimonov Archival Services Manager and Institutional Archivist Work: x6136 afilimonov@cjh.org; Mobile: Digital Lab/Creative Services Point Person Jen Rodewald Digital and Creative Services Manager Work:x8213 jrodewald@cjh.org; Mobile: 917-582-2765; Jennifer.rodewald@gmail.com