Sample Disaster Plans
The process of creating a disaster plan, whether it involves filling out a two-page template or writing a comprehensive plan, is an essential part of being prepared for emergency situations. Because the process begins with risk assessment and continues through developing procedures for personal safety, service continuity, and mitigation of damage to physical property, it creates the awareness, the knowledge and the structure necessary for responding in an effective way to an emergency or disaster.
Short Plans: NN/LM highly recommends that all libraries create a response plan based on the Pocket Response Plan (PReP) that was developed by the Council of State Archivists (CoSA). This is a one-page plan that can be kept in a purse or a wallet, so, no matter where you are you will be able to manage a response. Click on the link below for a template of the plan.
HSL PReP for Service Continuity: Template recommended for NN/LM Members.
(To order Tyvek mini-sleeves to hold PRePs, visit the CoSA site at http://www.statearchivists.org/shop/prep-buy.htm)
Comprehensive Disaster Plans: following are disaster plans from several institutions who have agreed to share them here on the NN/LM Emergency Preparedness & Response Toolkit. Please feel free to adapt them to your needs.
Resource libraries:
Loyola University Health Sciences Library Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Manual
University of Utah ER Flip Chart
University of Virginia Health Sciences Library Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan: If you would like this document in Word format, please contact Susan Yowell at syowell@virginia.edu.
Hospital libraries:
San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center: many thanks to Joy Graham at SFGH and the emergency response coordinator at her hospital for sharing their emergency response plan. It’s a very nice example of providing the most-needed information in a concise format.
