MayDay 2009 - 1st May 2009

This May, take at least one of the following steps to prepare your organisation for disaster response:

• Dust off your counter-disaster plan and make sure it's up to date (or make a timeline for developing one).
• Download and use a copy of Be Prepared guidelines for writing a disaster preparedness plan: http://www.collectionsaustralia.net/sector_info_item/2
• Update your staff contact information.
• Identify and prioritise your important collection items and heritage sites.
• Identify the three biggest risks to your collection or heritage site.
• Get to know your local firefighters and police invite them to tour your organisation to give you pointers on safety and preparedness.
• Conduct a building evacuation drill and evaluate the results.
• Eliminate hazards such as storage in hallways, blocked fire exits, improper storage of paints, etc.
• Make a plan to install any needed safety systems.
• Find a 'partner' heritage organisation to work with in case of a disaster. A model for collaboration is DIS-ACT: http://www.anbg.gov.au/disact/
• Provide staff with easily accessible disaster preparedness, response and recovery information.
• Arrange or attend emergency response training days on firefighting, crowd control, flood water management etc., or a workshop on disaster preparedness for collections.
• Host a morning tea to raise funds for Red Cross appeals to support those affected by floods in North and North-West Queensland, and by bushfires in Victoria.
• Consider the protection offered by your storage facilities and plan to build safer repositories.
• Via Blue Shield Australia's website, share with the cultural heritage sector any lessons your organisation has learned from recent disasters.

Promote MayDay to your colleagues by posting this flier on notice boards in your organisation, and by discussing with colleagues what you will do to mark MayDay on 1 May 2009, and throughout the month of May.

Contact Blue Shield Australia via the Collections Council in mid-April to request a media kit for promoting your MayDay activity: blueshield@collectionscouncil.com.au.