Aims and components of a disaster preparedness programme of an archives system of your choice.
It is necessary for archives
institutions to identify risks which can endanger records and archives. It is
also necessary for archives institutions to identify and access all possible
risks to buildings, facilities and records and consider possible impact of
these dangers to records and archives in the event of a disaster. In this
paper, the author is going to explain the aims and components of a disaster
preparedness program of an archives system of his choice.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
An archive, according to web
definitions, is a collection of historical documents or records providing
information about a place, institution, or group of people. According to www.businessdictionary.com a disaster preparedness plan is a written document
profiling the process of ensuring that an organization has complied with the
preventive measures is in state of readiness to contain the effects of a
forecasted disastrous event to minimize loss of life, injury, and damage to
property, can provide rescue, relief, rehabilitation, and other services in the
aftermath of a disaster, and has the capability and resources to continue to
sustain its essential functions without being overwhelmed by the demand placed
on them.
One of the aims of disaster
management planning is to reduce, or avoid losses from hazards. This is
achieved by identifying risks. According to Tsvuura G. (2011:8) “ An
organization can be threatened by hazards ranging from fires to power failures,
from earthquakes to actions by disgruntled employees, from computer viruses to
political insurrections. Threats may be deliberate or inadvertent, and they may
be caused by either human intervention or natural occurrences or disasters”
Records need to be protected from such dangers. Records also have to be
protected against more everyday threats, such as mildew, pests, rodents, mound,
light, dust, hazardous chemicals and improper humidity and temperature
controls.
The best way to identify possible
risks is to undertake a risk assessment. It is therefore necessary when
conducting a risk assessment for records and records managers to classify
potential risks according the likelihood that they may happen
According to Warfield (2002),
“Mitigation activities actually eliminate probability of disaster occurrences,
or reduce the effects of unavoidable disasters. Mitigation measures include
building codes, vulnerability analysis updates; zoning and land use,
management, building use regulations and safety codes, preventive health care
and public education.
Mitigation will depend on the
incapacitation of appropriate measures in national and regional development
planning. Its effectiveness will also depend on the availability of information
on hazards, emergency risks, and the counter measures to be taken. The
mitigation phase, and indeed the whole disaster management cycle, includes the
shaping of public policies and plans that either modify the causes of disasters
or mitigate their effects on people, property, and infrastructure.
The second aim of the disaster
preparedness plan is to assure prompt reaction in the event of a disaster,
assure prompt assistance to victims. It is the goal of emergency preparedness
programs to achieve a satisfactory level of readiness to respond to any
emergency situation through programs that strengthen the technical managerial
capacity of archives institution. These measures can be described as logistical
readiness to deal with disasters and can be enhanced by having response
mechanism and procedures, rehearsals, developing long-term and short-term
strategies, public education and building early warning systems. Preparedness
can also take the form of ensuring that strategic reserves of food, equipment,
water, medicines and other essentials are maintained in cases of disasters.
The third aim of disaster
preparedness plan is to achieve rapid and effective recovery. According to the
University of Salford, the aim of emergency response is to provide immediate
assistance to maintain life, improve health and support the morale of the
affected population and records. Such assistance may range from providing
specific but limited aid, such as assisting refugees with transport, temporary
shelter, and food, to establishing semi-permanent settlement. It also may
involve initial repairs to damaged infrastructure. The focus in the response
phase is on meeting the basic needs of the people until more permanent and
sustainable solutions are found.
The disaster plan ensures that
ensures that recovery activities are quickly put in place. Recovery activities
continue until all systems return to normal or better. Recovery measures both
short and long term, include returning
vital life-support systems to minimum operating standards, temporary housing,
public information, health safety education reconstruction, counseling programs
and economic impact studies.
According to Simmermon L(1999:37) the
emergency plan may be detailed or less detailed or less detailed depending upon
size of organization. The first part of an emergency plan is the introduction
which explains the process for developing the plan and promulgation letter
signed by higher authority. Objectives of the plan are also detailed in this
section.
The next section is termed situations
and assumption or a brief description of possible emergency or disasters. The section includes also the amount of
warning time and degree of damage expected. The next section according to Simmermon
(1999:40) deals with preventive measures. This section outlines the steps to be
taken to minimize or prevent disruptions in normal business operations.
The next step is the outline of
emergency procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency. The
description of initial responses to be taken in an emergency and the list of
key personnel will follow. Senior of officials must be identified who includes
the director of the organization, the individual in charge of organization
preservation management, anyone responsible for emergency planning and so on.
The next section deals with items of
specific concer or can be called administration and logistics. This section
describes the management of resources in all phases of emergency management.
This is followed by the description of the building layouts. Of particular
importance are the resources of water and power, the location of drainage
points as well as floor plans.
The next section is a list of
emergency equipment and supplies and guidelines for salvage and lastly the
definition of terms. It is necessary to define terms that are commonly known as
well as those that may cause confusion if misinterpreted.
Conclusion
The author had explained the three
aims of the disaster preparedness plan which are; to reduce, avoid, losses from
hazards, assure prompt assistance to victims and records and achieve rapid and
effective recovery. The components of the disaster plan have been identified as
the introduction, a brief description of possible emergencies or disasters, a
description of preventive measures that can be taken, emergency procedures,
including initial responses, a list of key contacts, a description of items
specified concern that should be rescued or protected and a description or
graphic plan of building layout, a list of emergency equipment and supplies,
guidelines for salvage and the date of the plan review.
References
Simmermon, 1999, Disaster Management
and Planning, London, IRMT
Warfield C._The Disaster Management
Cycle,-Found online www.gdrc.org/uem/disasters/1-dm-cycle.html
accessed on 30/03/15
Richard H.,_Disaster Management
Cycle, Center for Disaster Resilience, University of Salford. Found online www.orbee.org accessed on 30/03/15
Etiwel Mutero holds a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Records and Archives Management through the Zimbabwe Open University and a National Certificate in Records and Archives Management from Kwekwe Polytechnic.You can contact him on 00264817871070 or etiwelm02@gmail.com
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