Colorado’s Cultural & Historic Resources Under Fire: The Summer of 2012

8/12/2019 Colorados Cultural & Historic Resources Under Fire: The Summer of 2012

1/22

COLORADOSCULTURAL & HISTORIC RESOURCESUNDER FIRE: THE SUMMER OF 2012

BEST PRACTICES IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HIGHER EDUCATIONCHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE

MARCH 12-14, 2013

Leslie A. Williams, Assistant Professor, Auraria Library, University of Colorado DenverScott Baldwin, Mitigation Specialist, Colorado Office of Emergency ManagementKarin Larkin, Curator of Anthropology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Mary Rupp, Archives Librarian, Kraemer Family Library, University of Colorado Colorado SpringsCarl Stewart, Facilities Manager, University Libraries, University of Colorado Boulder


2/22


3/22

Background

ScottBaldwin

Mary Rupp

Karin Larkin

CarlStewart

LeslieWilliams


4/22

What Are Cultural & Historic Resources(CHR)?

Cultural and historic resources areculturally significant items, such asobjects, documents, public records,manuscripts, maps, photographs,books, artifacts, artworks, buildings,

structures, burial sites, sacred sites,cemeteries, and animals. Items oftenhave artistic, educational, historic,legal, scientific, or social significance.Cultural and historic resources oftenrepresent an aspect of a cultural

system that is valued by or significantlyrepresentative of a culture or thatcontains significance information abouta culture and are preserved orappropriate for preservation and usedas an extension of human memory.

-Adopted by the Colorado Cultural & Historic

Resources Task Force, October 2012

Lower North Fork FireStarted: March 26, 2012

themountainmail.com

themountainmail.com


5/22

Characteristics of CHR

Items May Include:

o Non-Living & Living Specimens

o Tangible Items & Intangible CulturalPractices

o Physical &Digital Manifestations

o Individual Objects & Collections

o Institutional Records & Finding Aids

Often Located In:

o Libraries, Museums &Archives

o Educational Institutions

o Historical Societies

o Historic Properties & Siteso Archaeological Sites

o Performing Arts Complexes

o Religious Centers

o Local, State & NationalParks

o Government

o Botanic Gardens

o Aquariums & Zoos

o Uniqueo Often Irreplaceableo Limited Supplyo Require Security

Measureso

Require InventoryControlo Require Environmental

Monitoring & Controlo Once Damaged, Rarely

Can Be Returned toOriginal Condition

Snowmastodon DiscoveryOctober 14, 2010

dmns.org


6/22

Why Are CHR Important?

Cultural Identity

Historical & ScientificKnowledge

Economic Vitality Community Revitalization

Heritage Tourismcoloradorailroadmuseum.org

hslibrary.ucdenver.org

library.unco.edu


7/22

Where Do Cultural Heritage OrganizationsFit?

Emergency OperationsCenters

Federal

State Local

Campus

ESF 11

Agriculture and NaturalResources

Includes Cultural & HistoricResources

denverpost.com

Hewlett FireStarted: May 14, 2012


8/22

The Beginning: January-April2012

Formation of Colorados Cultural &

Historic Resources Task Force

Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC)Group

Emergency Management &Cultural Heritage Representatives

Quarterly Meeting ScheduleEstablished

Listserv Created and Hosted by CU

Denver Primary Goal Identified: To assist

COEM with the development of arecovery annex for cultural &historic resources

pagosadailypost.com

Little Sand FireStarted: June 9, 2012


9/22

Task Force Composition

1% 2%

4%5%

7%

8%

9%

10%11%

13%

15%

15%

Local Fire

Architect

Emergency Management

Private Consultant

Archives

Academic Library

Historic Preservation

Cultural Resources Non Profit

Museum

Government

Higher Education

Public Library


10/22

The Fires: MarchOctober2012

Fires: 12+

Cost: $197+ million

Acres Burned: 215,000+

Home Destroyed: 610

Deaths: 6

High Park FireStarted: June 9, 2012

fema.gov


11/22

CHR Task Force In Action

State Level

Participated in Operations &Recovery Conference Calls

Identified CHR In/NearPerimeters & CommunicatedLocation to COEM

Movement of Containment Lineto Protect CHR DuringEmergency Operations

Located Backup Storage Facility

Provided Information AboutBasic Salvage Techniques forRecovery Guide

Springer FireStarted: June 17, 2012

denverpost.com


12/22

CHR Task Force In Action

Local Level

Reached Out to CHR Institutions to Offer Assistance

Waldo Canyon Fire

Connected with Local EOC

Located Storage Space & Developed Procedures to Receive EvacuatedCollections

Wetmore Fire

Significantly Increased Response Time

Provided real time location of fire perimeter in relation to CHR

Identified CHR in Jeopardy Ahead of First Responders

Advocated for Inclusion in Damage Assessments


13/22

Lessons Learned: Manage Expectations

Recognize highest priorities include:

life safety

property protection

primary home dwellings

public infrastructure

private enterprise

Acknowledge CHR falls at thebottom of the priority list.

Imperative CHR community take

responsibility for themselves andcollaborate with emergencymanagement.

Then great things happen.

cortezjournal.com

Weber FireStarted: June 22,

2012

L L d E i i N k &


14/22

Lesson Learned: Existing Networks &Databases Are Effective But Will Not

Identify Everything

History Colorado: 15% of HistoricBuildings & Sites InventoriedStatewide

No Central Repository of Information

About Collections Sources Used Include:

Compass

Connecting to CollectionsDatabase

CHR Task Force listserv

National Register of HistoricPlaces

Listservs for Associations

Recent WESTPAS WorkshopAttendees

Internet Sites for Tourisms

Local Knowledge

shambhalamountain.org


15/22

Lesson Learned: Establish CommunicationsStandards & Channels Prior to Incident

Communication Priority:

Accurate and Up to Date Maps ofFire Perimeters

Essential to Identifying CHR inJeopardy

Establish Point(s) of Contact toTransmit & Receive Information

Transmit & Distribute Information in aSecure Manner

Communication Priority:

Identification of CHR in Jeopardy

Significance of Each Resource

Essential to Prioritizing ProtectiveMeasures

Establish Point(s) of Contact to

Transmit & Receive Information Transmit & Distribute Information in a

Secure Manner

Emergency Management Cultural & Historic Resources


16/22

Lesson Learned: Security Matters

InformationTransmission

&Dissemination

PermanentLocation

Security

Triangle

TemporaryLocation

L L d B ild R d d


17/22

Lesson Learned: Build Redundancy,Adaptability & Flexibility Into Response &

Recovery Capacity

Fires have the potential to move fast!

Possibility of working multiple

incidents simultaneously at variousstages of response and recovery.

Geography + mountainous terrain +road closures = Alternate evacuationroutes and storage facilities needed.

Colleagues and their institutions may

rapidly transition from responders toevacuees in as little as an hour.

Stateline FireStarted: June 23, 2012

durangoherald.com


18/22

Lesson Learned: Prepare to Wait KnowingYour Efforts May Be Futile

Waldo Canyon FireStarted: June 23, 2012

Fire can move quicker than youcan.

Point where nothing more canbe done but to prepare forrecovery.

Who cares? Its only cultural &

historic resources.

Mary Rupp

ChuckThompson

L L d E d G l t


19/22

Lesson Learned: Expand Goals toComprehensively Address 4 Pillars of Emergency

Management

CHR Task Force Goals

Mitigation

Develop capacity to conduct risk assessments

Participate in local & state mitigation planning efforts

Preparedness

Establish programmatic agreements for historic

buildings & sites to expedite recovery Identify and type available personnel and resources in

CHR institutions

Develop mutual aid agreements

Train & credential a response & recovery team

Response

Participate in state operation planning efforts

Create mobilization and demobilization procedures forpersonnel and resources

Recovery

Participate in state recovery planning efforts

Develop capacity to conduct damage assessments

Create a recovery guide for local officials specific tocultural and historic resources

Treasure FireStarted: June 23,

2012

leadvilletoday.com


20/22

Why is Higher Education uniquely suited toparticipate in emergency management efforts for

CHR?

Help your institution by helpingothers

Technical Expertise

Cultural & Historic Resources Subject

Matter Experts

Police & Emergency ManaegmentSubject Matter Experts

Resources

Environmentally-Controlled StorageFacilities & Freezers

Redundancy

Professional & CommunityNetworks

Technology Infrastructure

Personnel Policies

Last Chance FireStarted: June 25, 2012

Nathan Federicoblogs.westword.com


21/22

The Future: 2013 & Beyond

Outlook for 2013 Fire Season = Dry

Immediate Need to Focus onResponse Goals

State Emergency OperationsPlan

Identification of Available

Resources Mutual Aid Agreements

Response & Recovery Team

Cultural & Historic Resources

Task ForceFlagstaff FireStarted: June 26, 2012

timescall.com


22/22

Thank You!

Questions?

Leslie A. Williams

[email protected]

Scott Baldwin

[email protected]

Wetmore FireStarted: October 23,

2012

krdo.com

Colorado’s Cultural & Historic Resources Under Fire: The Summer of 2012

Documents

Transcript of Colorado’s Cultural & Historic Resources Under Fire: The Summer of 2012