Superstorm Sandy

I have been holding off on this blog until I could hear updates from the museums affected by Superstorm Sandy.  Aside from opening times, there isn't much.  I am glad that recovery is underway and am concerned at the lack of electricity needed to protect objects.  Not to mention staffing.....  If you can't work, often you aren't paid.  This was the case when I worked for a research lab in Florida at UF-MREC.  Hurricane Charley knocked out our boiler room.  Then, Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances kept us without power for two months.  No power = no work = no pay.  That was 8  years ago and I am still paying off the debt as FEMA was useless in the matter.

I am still waiting to see what's going on with the various museums in New England, particularly New York and New Jersey.  I see the major museums are getting back on their feet quickly once power is restored.  The minor museums.... not so much, especially the outdoor museums and historic gardens/houses.  Ouch.

AAM released in Aviso an email address for affected museums to ask for help.  There is also a link to the online library for documents for assistance.  However, the link appears to be segregated into whichever "Tier" you belong to.  Not to mention, it's rather disorganized.  It makes me wonder where my dues are going to and, since my membership is up for renewal this month, I wonder if I should keep my membership as I am still technically an unemployed museum professional.  WESTPAS is infinitely better equipped, better managed, and has a better communications network for disaster recovery.  Unfortunately, WESTPAS is for the western states only.  I wonder if there is something like that in New England?

According to my friends who live in the NYC/NJ area, things are still rather volatile there.  Power is unreliable and more pressing matters of heat, shelter, fuel, and food are taking prescidance over art and artifact.  As I understand it, the zoos and aquariums are particularly hard hit.  No news from there as of yet.  So, in light (or dark?) of that matter, I'll post the conclusion of my master's dissertation for your consideration.  I had hoped that the elitist non-communcation rampant in like-businesses would have been improved post-Katrina.  It appears on the surface that baby steps have been taken towards a common goal.  It's not enough.

"Will the storms ever subside? It is doubtful. According to Jim Harper of Scientific American, even bigger and more ferocious storms are coming this century. He, along with scientists at the University of Miami and NOAA, believe a Category 6 needs to be added to the Saffir-Simpson scale. According to Mr. Harper's article "Are Category 6 Hurricanes Coming Soon?", global satellite data suggest that the "net destructive potential of hurricanes has increased, and the strongest hurricanes are becoming more common - especially in the Atlantic." (Harper 2011) This is hypothesized to be due to one of two reasons: a warmer ocean due to global climate change or history simply repeating itself, meaning we are in an active cycle right now. It could also be elements of both. They are suggesting that a Category 6 would be any hurricane with a sustained wind of over 280 kph (175 mph). (Ibid.)

NOAA is taking the initiative to make America a "Weather-ready Nation". They announced in a recent press release that 2011 has so far experienced nine separate disasters. As Hurricane Irene had not formed at the time of that release, it is not counted among the nine. Each of these occurrences cost $1 billion or more in loss, totaling over $35 billion. The bulk of these figures come from the Missouri and Souris Rivers flooding and the Midwest's Spring tornado outbreak, which all but destroyed the town of Joplin, Missouri. Such financial figures were last seen in 2008. NOAA has outlined a plan to improve the precision of forecasts and communication of those forecasts to the public via official outlets to give people even more notice of coming disaster. They also plan to mobilize response specialist teams that are field-ready to examine the storms in situ. They want to implement Dual Pol radar, Integrated Water Resources Science and Services, and the Joint Polar Satellite System across the entire nation for better data gathering. They want to go into the communities and form partnerships to educate the public and businesses about preparedness. Finally, they will be working with local emergency management initiatives to enhance their ability to use resources. According to Munich Reinsurance America, there are three times as many natural disasters in the past 20 years than in the previous part of the century. This increases insurance claims. Claims can be reduced by preparing. (NOAA 2011)

According to the International Association of Emergency Managers-USA President Eddie Hicks, "It starts with National Weather Service and emergency managers...but it ends with actions by individuals and businesses to reduce their risks. The more prepared communities are for destructive weather, the less of a human and economic toll we'll experience in the future." (NOAA 2011)
To echo what Mr. Hicks is saying, the bottom line is planning and communication. That is the best management practice for any type of museum in the path of a hurricane. Planning with community emergency leaders, fellow museums, and within the company is the start. This leads to communications with those who can assist museums in need, both local and federal. To put it bluntly, we can all work together for the survival of our historical objects, but, when disaster strikes, we are on our own. More planning results in better preparedness, better organization, and less damage to our historical objects. It is important to communicate through any means available: social media, cell phones, texting, pocket pamphlets, training sessions, and message boards to name a few. Those two crucial concepts, planning and communication, are key to any hurricane disaster best management practice for any object at any museum, indoor or outdoor."