Timely topic for cultural institutions: "Disaster Preparedness and Response Training"

Press release from the Wyoming Museum Training Network:

Are you part of a local historical museum? Or a local library? Or archive? Do you have responsibilities with collections, whether as a volunteer, staff member or board member? Is your organization prepared for a disaster? Remember... those things called storms, tornadoes, forest or grass fires, or water main breaks? What about a “household” chemical spill in your curation facility? The Wyoming Museum Training Network, with support from the Cultural Trust, will be holding a series of workshops around the state on “Disaster Preparedness and Response Planning”. These one-day training sessions on “Writing a Plan” are open to all historical and cultural institutions including museums, libraries, archives and other institutions with collections. The sessions are for staff, board members, volunteers, or docents.

• The first session is Saturday, November 24, hosted by the Laramie Plains Museum in Laramie. Additional sessions are:
• Tuesday, November 27 at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, Cheyenne;
• Friday, November 30 at the Crook County Museum & Art Gallery in Sundance;
• Tuesday, December 4 at the Converse County Public Library in Douglas; and
• Thursday, December 6 at the Goshen County Public Library in Torrington.

To sign up for any of these one-day sessions, contact Judy Knight at 307-760-7427 or via e-mail.

There will be a two-day follow-up training in March, 2013, when the Disaster Preparedness/Response Planning documents will be reviewed and drills will be conducted with local first responders and emergency coordinators invited to attend along with county cultural collection managers.