Available 24/7: (202) 661-8068
Anchorage Contact:
The National Heritage Responders (NHR) - formerly the American Institute for Conservation - Collections Emergency Response Team (AIC-CERT) - responds to the needs of cultural institutions during emergencies and disasters through coordinated efforts with first responders, state agencies, vendors and the public. Volunteers can provide advice and referrals by phone at the number above.
Requests for onsite assistance will be forwarded by the volunteer to the NHR Coordinator and Emergency Programs Coordinator for response. Less urgent questions can also be answered by email: info@conservation-us.org.
The Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF), co-sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Smithsonian Institution, is a partnership of 42 national service organizations and federal agencies.
HENTF’s mission is to protect cultural heritage in our nation’s states, tribes, territories, and local communities from the damaging effects of natural disasters and other emergencies.
24/7 Collections Emergency Phone Assistance
For emergency assistance, contact NEDCC's toll-free collections emergency hotline at: (855) 245-8303
NEDCC staff members are available 24/7 to provide telephone advice to institutions and individuals handling collection-related disasters. Information provided includes advice on drying wet collections and dealing with damage from fire, pests, and mold. This service does not normally include on-site assistance.
The Regional Alliance for Preservation (RAP) provides information and resources on preservation and conservation for cultural institutions and the public throughout the United States.
The Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative’s (SCRI) mission is to protect cultural heritage threatened or impacted by disasters and to help U.S. and international communities preserve their identities and history.
Emergency Preparedness is critical for archives and records centers. CoSA's self-directed online courses help state archives and other institutional users continue improvement of their preparedness and training programs.
The National Disaster Recovery Fund for Archives (NDRFA), established by the Society of Southwest Archivists and the Society of American Archivists, provides grants of up to $5,000 to support the recovery of archival collections from major disasters. Any repository that holds archival records of special collections is eligible to apply for a grant; the repository need not be a member of SSA or SAA.
Collections conservation and building professionals travel to a federally declared disaster zone to provide recommendations for recovery. This program is the same as the Collections Assessment for Preservation Program, but it is available on an expedited basis. For more information, visit the Emergency Cap website.
FEMA and the Smithsonian Institution cosponsor the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, a partnership of 42 national service organizations and federal agencies created to protect cultural heritage from the damaging effects of natural disasters and other emergencies.
The Natural and Cultural Resources Recovery Support Function (NCR RSF) integrates Federal assets and capabilities to help state and tribal governments and communities address long-term environmental and cultural resource recovery needs after large-scale and catastrophic incidents.
The Federal Government’s capabilities are organized into Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) to facilitate and coordinate the Federal response. These ESFs are designed to address the most frequent needs of States, Tribes, Territories, and local communities after a major event. There are currently fifteen (15) ESFs. ESF #11 Agriculture and Natural Resources consists of five component areas:
The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is the primary agency for the fifth component - protection of natural and cultural resources and historic properties. USDA and DOI work together to ensure a coordinated and effective response to all emergencies.
