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COLORADO’S
CULTURAL & HISTORIC RESOURCES
UNDER FIRE: THE SUMMER OF 2012
BEST PRACTICES IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HIGHER EDUCATION
CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE
MARCH 12-14, 2013
Leslie A. Williams, Assistant Professor, Auraria Library, University of Colorado Denver
Scott Baldwin, Mitigation Specialist, Colorado Office of Emergency Management
Karin Larkin, Curator of Anthropology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Mary Rupp, Archives Librarian, Kraemer Family Library, University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Carl Stewart, Facilities Manager, University Libraries, University of Colorado Boulder
Te Lessons Learned
Overview
Background
Cultural & Historic Resources
The Beginning
The Fires
The Lessons Learned
The Role of Higher Education
The Future
Background
Scott Baldwin
Mary Rupp
Karin Larkin
Carl Stewart
Leslie Williams
What Are Cultural & Historic Resources (CHR)?
Cultural and historic resources are culturally
significant items, such as objects, documents,
public records, manuscripts, maps,
photographs, books, artifacts, artworks,
buildings, structures, burial sites, sacred
sites, cemeteries, and animals. Items often
have artistic, educational, historic, legal,
scientific, or social significance. Cultural and
historic resources often represent an aspect
of a cultural system that is valued by or
significantly representative of a culture or
that contains significance information about
a culture and are preserved or appropriate
for preservation and used as an extension
of human memory. -Adopted by the Colorado Cultural & Historic
Resources Task Force, October 2012
Lower North Fork Fire
Started: March 26, 2012
themountainmail.com
themountainmail.com
Characteristics of CHR
Items May Include:
o Non-Living & Living Specimens
o Tangible Items & Intangible Cultural Practices
o Physical &Digital Manifestations
o Individual Objects & Collections
o Institutional Records & Finding Aids
Often Located In:
o Libraries, Museums & Archives
o Educational Institutions
o Historical Societies
o Historic Properties & Sites
o Archaeological Sites
o Performing Arts Complexes
o Religious Centers
o Local, State & National Parks
o Government
o Botanic Gardens
o Aquariums & Zoos
o Unique
o Often Irreplaceable
o Limited Supply
o Require Security Measures
o Require Inventory Control
o Require Environmental Monitoring & Control
o Once Damaged, Rarely Can Be Returned to Original Condition
Snowmastodon Discovery
October 14, 2010
dmns.org
Why Are CHR Important?
Cultural Identity
Historical & Scientific Knowledge
Economic Vitality
Community Revitalization
Heritage Tourism
coloradorailroadmuseum.org
hslibrary.ucdenver.org
library.unco.edu
Where Do Cultural Heritage Organizations Fit?
Emergency Operations Centers
Federal
State
Local
Campus
ESF 11
Agriculture and Natural
Resources
Includes Cultural & Historic
Resources
denverpost.com
Hewlett Fire
Started: May 14, 2012
The Beginning: January-April 2012
Formation of Colorado’s Cultural &
Historic Resources Task Force
Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC)
Group
Emergency Management & Cultural
Heritage Representatives
Quarterly Meeting Schedule
Established
Listserv Created and Hosted by CU
Denver
Primary Goal Identified: To assist
COEM with the development of a
recovery annex for cultural & historic
resources
pagosadailypost.com
Little Sand Fire
Started: June 9, 2012
Task Force Composition
1% 2%
4%
5%
7%
8%
9%
10%
11%
13%
15%
15%
Local Fire
Architect
Emergency Management
Private Consultant
Archives
Academic Library
Historic Preservation
Cultural Resources Non Profit
Museum
Government
Higher Education
Public Library
The Fires: March – October 2012
Fires: 12+
Cost: $197+ million
Acres Burned: 215,000+
Home Destroyed: 610
Deaths: 6
High Park Fire
Started: June 9, 2012
fema.gov
CHR Task Force In Action
State Level
Participated in Operations &
Recovery Conference Calls
Identified CHR In/Near Perimeters
& Communicated Location to COEM
Movement of Containment Line to
Protect CHR During Emergency
Operations
Located Backup Storage Facility
Provided Information About Basic
Salvage Techniques for Recovery
Guide
Springer Fire
Started: June 17, 2012
denverpost.com
CHR Task Force In Action
Local Level
Reached Out to CHR Institutions to Offer Assistance
Waldo Canyon Fire
Connected with Local EOC
Located Storage Space & Developed Procedures to Receive Evacuated Collections
Wetmore Fire
Significantly Increased Response Time
Provided real time location of fire perimeter in relation to CHR
Identified CHR in Jeopardy Ahead of First Responders
Advocated for Inclusion in Damage Assessments
Lessons Learned: Manage Expectations
Recognize highest priorities include:
life safety
property protection
primary home dwellings
public infrastructure
private enterprise
Acknowledge CHR falls at the bottom of
the priority list.
Imperative CHR community take
responsibility for themselves and
collaborate with emergency
management.
Then great things happen.
cortezjournal.com
Weber Fire
Started: June 22, 2012
Lesson Learned: Existing Networks & Databases
Are Effective But Will Not Identify Everything
History Colorado: 15% of Historic Buildings & Sites Inventoried Statewide
No Central Repository of Information About Collections
Sources Used Include:
Compass
Connecting to Collections Database
CHR Task Force listserv
National Register of Historic Places
Listservs for Associations
Recent WESTPAS Workshop Attendees
Internet Sites for Tourisms
Local Knowledge
shambhalamountain.org
Lesson Learned: Establish Communications
Standards & Channels Prior to Incident
Communication Priority:
Accurate and Up to Date Maps of
Fire Perimeters
Essential to Identifying CHR in
Jeopardy
Establish Point(s) of Contact to Transmit &
Receive Information
Transmit & Distribute Information in a
Secure Manner
Communication Priority:
Identification of CHR in Jeopardy
Significance of Each Resource
Essential to Prioritizing Protective
Measures
Establish Point(s) of Contact to Transmit &
Receive Information
Transmit & Distribute Information in a
Secure Manner
Emergency Management Cultural & Historic Resources
Lesson Learned: Security Matters
Information Transmission
& Dissemination
Permanent Location
Security Triangle
Temporary Location
Lesson Learned: Build Redundancy, Adaptability
& Flexibility Into Response & Recovery Capacity
Fires have the potential to move fast!
Possibility of working multiple incidents simultaneously at various stages of response and recovery.
Geography + mountainous terrain + road closures = Alternate evacuation routes and storage facilities needed.
Colleagues and their institutions may rapidly transition from responders to evacuees in as little as an hour.
Stateline Fire
Started: June 23, 2012
durangoherald.com
Lesson Learned: Prepare to Wait Knowing Your
Efforts May Be Futile
Waldo Canyon Fire
Started: June 23, 2012
Fire can move quicker than you
can.
Point where nothing more can be
done but to prepare for recovery.
Who cares? It’s only cultural &
historic resources.
Mary Rupp
Chuck Thompson
Lesson Learned: Expand Goals to Comprehensively
Address 4 Pillars of Emergency Management
CHR Task Force Goals
Mitigation
Develop capacity to conduct risk assessments
Participate in local & state mitigation planning efforts
Preparedness
Establish programmatic agreements for historic buildings & sites to expedite recovery
Identify and type available personnel and resources in CHR institutions
Develop mutual aid agreements
Train & credential a response & recovery team
Response
Participate in state operation planning efforts
Create mobilization and demobilization procedures for personnel and resources
Recovery
Participate in state recovery planning efforts
Develop capacity to conduct damage assessments
Create a recovery guide for local officials specific to cultural and historic resources
Treasure Fire
Started: June 23, 2012
leadvilletoday.com
Why is Higher Education uniquely suited to participate
in emergency management efforts for CHR?
Help your institution by helping others
Technical Expertise
Cultural & Historic Resources Subject
Matter Experts
Police & Emergency Manaegment Subject
Matter Experts
Resources
Environmentally-Controlled Storage
Facilities & Freezers
Redundancy
Professional & Community Networks
Technology Infrastructure
Personnel Policies
Last Chance Fire
Started: June 25, 2012
Nathan Federico
blogs.westword.com
The Future: 2013 & Beyond
Outlook for 2013 Fire Season = Dry
Immediate Need to Focus on Response
Goals
State Emergency Operations Plan
Identification of Available Resources
Mutual Aid Agreements
Response & Recovery Team
Cultural & Historic Resources
Task Force Flagstaff Fire
Started: June 26, 2012
timescall.com
Thank You!
Questions?
Leslie A. Williams
Scott Baldwin
Wetmore Fire
Started: October 23, 2012
krdo.com