History 21 The Podcast - 3.19 Kassy Saves the Museum from Disaster

No one expects disaster to hit - but a flood, fire, or severe storm can destroy priceless, one-of-a-kind artifacts faster than staff can react. Follow along with ACHS Collections Manager Kassy as she attends a Disaster Planning Workshop and begins the process of creating an official disaster plan for ACHS. And here’s a bonus thought: much of the information is applicable to your personal items and storm damage at home (as Rebecca has unfortunately found out!)

Hosts Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.

Disaster Workshop

The training, led by Midwest Art Conservation Center (MACC), equipped individuals with the skills and resources to conduct salvage of museum collections damaged by water. Each participant updated or created an emergency plan for their organization in 2024.

ABOUT TWO-DAY WET SALVAGE WORKSHOP
Workshops focused on the topic of Wet Salvage and covered the fundamentals of emergency preparedness providing in-person, hands-on experience. Wet salvage training involves teaching participants what happens to artifacts of different mediums when they get wet, such as paper, metal, wood, and glass. The training taught how to stabilize and later dry the materials so they don’t sustain further damage from handling, decomposition, or mold growth. The workshop imparted skills in emergency preparedness and built confidence for collections caretakers.

MALHM

Midwest Art & Conservation Center

This Disaster Workshop was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Anoka County Library Minute

The month of September is National Preparedness Month, a time to reflect on how to be prepared for various disasters and emergencies. For more information on that, visit www.ready.gov. But, any time of year is a good one to focus on this important topic. From natural disasters like flooding or tornadoes, to societal emergencies like public attacks or cybersecurity threats, there are many ways in which to prepare oneself. As the adage goes, knowledge is power. So, in the face of potential disaster or emergency situations, information can be a powerful defense. The following resources from the library provide practical and anecdotal information regarding emergency and disaster preparedness.

Books: