One of the keys to preparedness is a relationship with first responders and emergency managers. They are first on the scene at any event that threatens life or safety, and they represent a local system for planning, response, and recovery that has often overlooked a community’s cultural and historic assets.
Launched in 2003, the Alliance for Response initiative remains effective by:
- encouraging institutions to complete disaster plans and train for emergencies;
- creating cooperative disaster assistance networks among museums, libraries, archives, and historical properties and sites;
- raising awareness of the importance of cultural heritage in communities;
- influencing official emergency policies and plans.