Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning

 

We support heritage organisations in developing practical, risk-based emergency preparedness frameworks that protect collections, buildings, and people. Our work focuses on preparedness systems that are realistic, maintainable, and embedded within organisational structures, rather than generic plans produced for compliance alone.

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Emergency preparedness in heritage settings requires careful integration of collections care priorities, organisational capacity, governance arrangements, and human factors. Our role is to help organisations build preparedness that works in practice and supports effective decision-making before, during, and after an incident.

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What we support

 

We work with museums, libraries, archives, and historic houses to strengthen emergency preparedness across a wide range of contexts, including:

 

• Emergency preparedness planning for collections

• Development or review of emergency plans that prioritise collections based on risk, significance, and vulnerability, and that are aligned with organisational capacity and resources.

• Response procedures and roles

• Clear definition of response actions, responsibilities, and escalation pathways to support coordinated and timely decision-making during an incident.

• Training, exercises, and scenario planning

• Practical training and exercises, including tabletop scenarios, designed to test plans, build confidence, and improve coordination across teams.

• Post-incident review and recovery planning

• Structured review following incidents or exercises, with a focus on learning, recovery, and strengthening future preparedness.

 

How we work

 

Our approach to emergency preparedness is grounded in risk-based collections care planning and an understanding of how organisations function under pressure. We work at the intersection of collections care, governance, and human behaviour to ensure preparedness arrangements are both robust and usable.

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This typically includes:

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• identifying and prioritising emergency risks to collections

• aligning emergency planning with organisational structures and decision-making processes

• integrating preparedness with existing policies, procedures, and governance frameworks

• supporting staff through training that reflects real-world constraints and pressures

• ensuring preparedness arrangements can be maintained over time

 

Our involvement can be tailored to different stages of preparedness, from initial risk assessment and planning through to training, testing, and review.

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Why this matters

Emergency events can introduce sudden and severe risk to collections and people. In many cases, the greatest challenges arise not from the absence of a plan, but from unclear roles, unrealistic procedures, or lack of organisational readiness.

 

Effective emergency preparedness:

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• reduces risk to collections and staff

• supports clear and confident decision-making under pressure

• strengthens organisational resilience

• enables faster, more effective response and recovery

 

Our work helps organisations move beyond compliance-driven planning toward preparedness that genuinely supports practice.

 

Getting started

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If you would like to discuss your organisation’s emergency preparedness, review existing arrangements, or explore how this service might support your organisation, please get in touch to arrange an initial conversation.