Historic England has issued guidance on ‘good emergency planning practices’ to ‘help with preparing for, responding to and recovering from incidents at heritage sites’.
Historic England writes:
An emergency is a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence requiring immediate action. This could be a tiny leak in the ceiling that allows water to drip onto a priceless painting, or the onset of a fire that threatens to destroy a building and its contents. Whatever the situation, following good emergency planning practices will help with preparing for, responding to and recovering from incidents at heritage sites.
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What is emergency planning?
Emergency Planning is a process which involves identifying hazards and threats, assessing the level of risk(s), and implementing policies and measures to mitigate against the impact of an event. This helps ensure that adequate arrangements are in place to cope with a range of eventualities. Ultimately, these arrangements are written down in an emergency plan, which should be circulated among staff and incorporated into day-to-day operations. Emergency plans and emergency planning activities will vary in scope and detail according to the nature of the asset and the scale and exposure of hazards faced. For a building with limited hazards or threats, a simple list of contacts and actions may suffice. In contrast, a more complex site facing several high-risk hazards may require a more comprehensive emergency plan.
- Hazards and threats
- Impacts
- Risks
- Mitigation measures
You can find out more about the risks to heritage due to climate change, including how Historic England defines climate hazards and impacts.
https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/technical-advice/emergency-and-fire/emergency-planning-advice
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