Coping With Disasters, Violence, and Traumatic Events
Experiencing a disaster can cause significant mental distress that can lead to long term ill effects and mental illness. The links below provide information, resources, and knowledge regarding disasters and the mental impacts that follows.
- Coping with Disasters, Violence, and Traumatic Events
- New Jersey Hope and Healing
- Psychological First Aid for Schools
For Children and Parents
- Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence Disasters: What Parents Can Do
- Talking to Your Child about the Shooting
- Tips for Parents on Media Coverage
- Restoring a Sense of Safety in the Aftermath of a Mass Shooting: Tips for Parents and Professionals
- Coping with Crisis – Helping Children with Special Needs
- Facing Fear: Helping Young People Deal with Terrorism and Tragic Events
- An Activity Book For African American Families: Helping Children Cope with Crisis
- After a Crisis: Helping Young Children Heal
- Parent Tips for Helping Preschool-Age Children after Disasters
- Hurricane Preparedness for Families and Communities
Disaster Emergency Information Center
Dealing with the aftermath of a disaster can be overwhelming. This is your One Stop Shop for disaster recovery efforts for librarians, businesses, and the general public.
- Disaster Apps and Mobile Optimized Web Pages
Stafford Act
The New Jersey State Library wishes to remind libraries damaged in a major disaster that they are eligible for federal assistance under the Stafford Act.
The Stafford Act authorizes federal assistance for temporary relocation of public libraries. Libraries are now included in the list of public facilities that are eligible for federal assistance through FEMA with temporary relocation following a major disaster.
For the language in the Stafford Act, see http://www.fema.gov/pdf/government/grant/pa/9253_3.pdf. Eligible public facilities include facilities for police, fire protection/emergency services, medical care, education, libraries, utilities and other essential community services.
This change was announced in January 2011, by ALA: http://connect.ala.org/node/127510.
Disaster Planning Tools
Here is free template designed by the Northeast Document Conservation Center to help institutions of all sizes write comprehensive disaster plans. dPlan can serve the needs of small institutions without in-house preservation staff, and library and museum systems that need to develop separate but related plans for multiple locations.
dPlan: The Online Disaster-Planning Tool
The most comprehensive disaster plans cover the four facets of the emergency management cycle prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery which correspond to before, during, and after a disaster. If you have been meaning to write a disaster plan but your efforts have stalled, the Connecting to Collections webinar recordings and course materials will help you establish the crucial first steps following a disaster.
Writing a Disaster Response Plan: A Guide
Note: the guide uses some Massachusetts based resources, but does contain general resources and good information.
All Ready Reference: A Guide for Public Libraries for All Hazards
Extensive chart listing type of materials, priority for salvage, handling precautions, packing method, and drying method. Includes not only maps and books, but also parchment and vellum, prints and drawings, paintings, computer media, audio, photographs of all types, transparencies, motion pictures and microfilm.
One Page All Libraries (OPAL), a service continuity plan for libraries that helps you get your services up and running again, as quickly as possible, after a disaster.
One Page All Libraries (OPAL) Example
In the wake of a disaster it can be difficult to know where to begin the technology recovery process. With so many other pressing concerns how should you prioritize IT recovery? What steps need to be taken immediately and which can wait?
Community and state resources and information from the US Department of Homeland Security and other state and local governments.
Excellent emergency preparedness and response toolkit.
National Network of Libraries of Medicine
Sample Disaster Plans
Resources, Suppliers, Vendors
- Archives & Records Management Consultants & Services
- Disaster Management and Recovery Planning for Historic Records – BMI Imaging Systems
Disaster Preparedness for Individuals and Families
An emergency can occur quickly and without warning. The most important thing you can do to keep yourself and your family safe from an emergency is to prepare, stay calm, and follow instructions from emergency personnel.
- Make a Plan
- Emergency Communication Plan
- A Family Preparedness Guide
- Your Family Disaster Plan
- Individuals with Disabilities and Others with Access and Functional Needs
- Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and other Special Needs
- Seniors
- Pet and Animal Emergency Planning
- Pets and Disaster
- Military Family Preparedness
- Returning Home after a Disaster
- The Ultimate Guide to Hurricane Preparedness for Home Owners
Disaster Preparedness for Organizations
Documents and Websites
Videos
- Protecting Our Cultural Heritage
- Working with Volunteers
- Stronger Community, Better Response Connecting Community Organizations During Disaster
- Comprehensive Active Shooter Incident Management
- Active Shooter Tabletop Exercise
Webinars
- Planning for Disaster
- Risk Evaluation: First Step in Disaster Planning
- Protecting Your Collections: Writing a Disaster Response Plan
- Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS 100
- Implementing The Incident Command System @ The Repository Level Webinar
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- FEMA
- 2016 Region II Individual Preparedness Activities
- Hurricane Knowledge
- FEMA Hurricane Sandy Resources
- FEMA Emergency Management Institute
Hurricane Sandy Information Center
Ports in a Storm Resources
- American Red Cross
- Support for Librarians Providing Disaster Information Outreach to Their Communities – NLM
- Cultural Resource GIS Initiative in the Gulf Coast States – FEMA
- Cultural Resources in the Aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita – FEMA
- Superstorm Sandy – New York State Library
- A Storm Called Sandy – New Jersey Library Association
- Disaster Health Information Outreach and Collaboration Projects – NLM
- Ports in a Storm – New Jersey State Library
- Public Health Preparedness: Climate (Change) and Public Health – UMDNJ
- Storm Damage Photos
- United Methodist Disaster Response
Red Cross Emergency Tip Sheets
- Get a Kit. Make a plan. Be Informed
- Get a Kit. Make a Plan. Be Informed (Spanish)
- Winter Storm Safety Checklist
- Winter Storm Safety Checklist (Spanish)
- Power Outage Checklist
- Power Outage Checklist (Spanish)
- Flu Checklist
- Flu Checklist (Spanish)
- Pets and Disaster Safety Checklist
- Pets and Disaster Safety Checklist (Spanish)
- Hurricane Safety Checklist
- Hurricane Safety Checklist (Spanish)
- Heat Wave Safety Checklist
- Heat Wave Safety Checklist (Spanish)
Salvaging Library Materials
Documents and Websites
- What to Do if Collections Get Wet
- Salvage Procedures for Wet Items
- Salvage at a Glance
- An Emergency Cart for Salvaging Water-Damaged Objects
- Salvage of Water-Damaged Collections: Salvage at a Glance
- Water Emergency Demonstration
- How to Deal with Wet Documents
Videos
- Drying and Salvaging Water Damaged Books
- Coping with Water Damage
- Coping with Soot and Ash Damage