Team leader Susan Duhl reflected on the experience:
"My advice to disaster response teams is to patiently listen to the stories of the people you meet. Their stories are important in so many ways, providing a foundation of information about the specific conditions and current capabilities of their organization and community. Taking time to listen and understand the personal situations and psychological state of individuals will help gain trust, which, in turn will be key to developing an effective and successful recovery unique for each institution. It is also essential to respect that every team member has something to offer, including the disaster-effected staff, other responders, and NHR staff. Understanding each person’s strengths will help develop a strong recovery. This is especially true because organizing and implementing successful collections salvage and teamwork are unique and complex. Flexibility, inventiveness, and good humor are important characteristics for responders. Trust and take good care of yourself and your teammates."
The NHR team was able to provide information, resources, and advice to local institutions to help in the recovery process. FAIC is grateful to the National Endowment for the Humanities for supporting this deployment and to those team members who volunteered their time for this effort.
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