Advisory Committee History Colorado October 23, 2013 Denver, Colorado
Leslie A. Williams Assistant Professor Auraria Library University of Colorado Denver Preparing Colorados Cultural & Historic Resources for Disasters Overview Concepts Cultural & Historic Resources Disaster Cycle The Present Institutional Preparedness Beyond Institutional Preparedness The Future State Mitigation Plan State Operations Plan State Recovery Plan State Preservation Plan Definition of Cultural & Historic Resources Cultural and historic resources are culturally significant items, such as objects, documents, public records, manuscripts, maps, photographs, books, artifacts, artworks, buildings, structures, burial sites, sacred sites, cemeteries, and animals. Items often have artistic, educational, historic, legal, scientific, or social significance. Cultural and historic resources often represent an aspect of a cultural system that is valued by or significantly representative of a culture or that contains significance information about a culture and are preserved or appropriate for preservation and used as an extension of human memory. -Adopted by the Colorado Cultural & Historic Resources Task Force, October 2012 Lower North Fork Fire Started: March 26, 2012 themountainmail.com Cultural & Historic Resources
Items May Include: o Non-Living & Living Specimens o Tangible Items & Intangible Cultural Practices o Physical &Digital Manifestations o Individual Objects & Collections o Institutional Records & Finding Aids
Often Located In: o Libraries, Museums & Archives o Educational Institutions o Historical Societies o Historic Properties & Sites o Archaeological Sites o Performing Arts Complexes o Religious Centers o Local, State & National Parks o Government o Botanic Gardens o Aquariums & Zoos
o Unique o Often Irreplaceable o Limited Supply o Require Security Measures o Require Inventory Control o Require Environmental Monitoring & Control o Once Damaged, Rarely Can Be Returned to Original Condition
Snowmastodon Discovery October 14, 2010 dmns.org (Williams et al., 2013) Important for: o Cultural Identity o Historic & Scientific Knowledge o Economic Vitality Community Revitalization Heritage Tourism
Disaster Cycle pre.drp.org Institutional Preparedness Key Elements
Risk Assessments Mitigation Activities Disaster Plan Supply Cache Staff Training Tabletop Exercises
WESTPAS (westpas.org) Heritage Preservation (http://www.heritagepreser vation.org/) Connecting to Collections Online Community (http://www.connectingtoc ollections.org/all- topics/prepare-respond- emergencies/)
Resources Beyond Institutional Preparedness: Plugging Into Emergency Management System
www.fema.gov/multiagency-coordination-systems Beyond Institutional Preparedness: Why Plug Into the Emergency Management System? Recognize highest priorities include: Life safety Property protection Primary home dwellings Public infrastructure Private enterprise
Acknowledge cultural and historic resources fall below these on the priority list.
Imperative that we take responsibility for ourselves and collaborate with emergency management.
Then great things will happen. (Williams et al., 2013) Peter Brady Salina, Colorado September 2013 Beyond Institutional Preparedness: Colorado Cultural and Historic Resources Alliance Multiagency Coordination Group
Formed in January 2012
Strong Partnership Between Collections, Historic Preservation, & Emergency Management
Local, State, & Federal Partners
Network of 136+ Individuals Around Colorado & Beyond
Mission & Goals Focus on 4 Pillars of Emergency Management
Leading the nation Little Church in the Pines Salina, Colorado September 2013 Peter Brady Beyond Institutional Preparedness: Colorado Cultural and Historic Resources Alliance
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Team
Identifies cultural and historic resources in jeopardy
Communicates location to Incident Command for protective measures
Coordinates assistance by drawing upon institutional resources and technical expertise
Little Church in the Pines Salina, Colorado September 2013 Peter Brady State Operations Plan
Roles and responsibilities during disasters Activation levels of State EOC Currently 17 Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) Defined ESF11d Cultural & Historic Resources - Draft Black Forest Fire El Paso County, Colorado June 2013 Associated Press State Mitigation Plan dhsem.state.co.us
Hazards identification and risk assessment State capabilities assessment Mitigation Strategies State Recovery Plan
Damage assessment Currently 14 Recovery Support Functions (RSFs) RSF 10 Historic & Cultural Resources - Draft AAron Ontiveroz West Fork Fire Complex June 2013 State Preservation Plan
Goal A: Preserving the Places that Matter Goal B: Strengthening and Connecting the Colorado Preservation Network Goal C: Shaping the Preservation Message Goal D: Publicizing the Benefits of Preservation Goal E: Weaving Preservation Throughout Education Goal F: Advancing Preservation Practices
What do you think?
References Williams, Leslie A. 2013. "Disaster Preparedness." Association of Northern Front Range Museums's Bi-Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado. Williams, Leslie A., and Scott Baldwin. 2013. "Preservation Emergencies: When to Speak Up and Who to Call." Saving Places, Denver, Colorado. Williams, Leslie A., Scott Baldwin, Karen Larkin, Mary Rupp, and Carl Stewart. 2013. "Colorado's Cultural & Historic Resources Under Fire: The Summer of 2012." Best Practices in Emergency Management Higher Education, Chattanooga, Tennessee. Thank you!
Leslie A. Williams leslie.williams@ucdenver.edu References
Williams, Leslie A., Scott Baldwin, Karin Larkin, Mary Rupp, and Carl Stewart. 2013. Colorado's Cultural and Historic Resources Under Fire: The Summer of 2012. In Best Practices in Emergency Management Higher Education. Chattanooga, TN.