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A training program that brings cultural heritage communities together with emergency response communities. Finding Common Ground: Collaborative Training for the Cultural Heritage and Emergency Response Communities was developed through a two-year National Endowment for the Humanities grant to provide statewide, preparedness-and-response training project for cultural heritage and emergency response personnel.

The program includes foundational background webinars, train the trainer materials, slide decks, workshop materials, videos, workshop planning and other resources to lean about how to work together. Workshops cover risk assessment, disaster planning, disaster response, live burn (fire), and salvage.

URL for Resource: https://guides.mblc.state.ma.us

Document Creating / Publishing Body: Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners in partnership with the Massachusetts State Archives and the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services

Date of Creation: 2017-2018

Other Notes: From the website: The program was very successful in Massachusetts with 198 out of a maximum possible 200 registrants. Results that made us particularly happy include almost 100% of participating institutions completing a risk assessment, at least 30 institutions with complete disaster plans, a dramatic increase in the comfort level of cultural heritage institutions in responding to disasters, and most importantly to us, almost 100% of cultural heritage institutions feel more comfortable working with their local first responders, and first responders feel more comfortable working with their local cultural heritage institutions.

Topics: Disaster Prepardeness, Emergency Services/Disaster Recovery, Training

States: Massachusetts

Date Resource Added/Modified: January 11, 2019