Disaster Preparedness and Response for Collections along the Delta Workshop offered in Tunica, Mississippi.
Tunica Museum
On July 23, 2013 NCPTT conservator’s Jason Church (Materials Conservator) and Sarah Jackson (Architectural Conservator) taught a day long workshop at the Tunica Museum. This workshop was offered as part of a Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative Grant from the National Park Service.
The Delta Region faces frequent natural disasters from hurricanes, flooding, and tornadoes to name a few. It is important for the history of the area to ensure that the staff and volunteers of area collections are prepared for natural and man-made disasters that frequent the area.
This day long workshop covered the basics of pre-disaster preparedness and response for collections recovery and stabilization for artifacts and documents. This workshop was targeted towards small museums, collections and institutions in the Delta Region.
The workshop began with lectures in the morning that covered:
Sarah Jackson talks with participants about preparing a historic building for high winds.
-Preparing Historic Buildings for a Disaster
-Disaster Plans and Planning
-Personal Protective Equipment/ Building Re-entry
-Documentation
-Collections Recovery Techniques
After lunch at the historic Hollywood Cafe, workshop participants practiced “recovering” water damaged books and photographs.
A very special thanks to Tunica Museum’s Executive Director Richard Taylor for letting us
take over his museum for the day.
Another workshop was taught the next day in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Jason Church talks with participants about drying water logged books.