May Day 2019: Parish Flood Preparation

May 1st was the Society of American Archivist's May Day, a time for archivists to do something to protect their holdings in the event of a disaster. May 5th to 11th is Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada, when we should all think about what we would do in a dangerous situation. It's good to plan for different events like fires, power outages, and storms, but at the moment there are a lot of communities in our province that are being affected by flooding. Here in the Archdiocese of Toronto we encourage parishes to keep their own archives, so we thought we'd write a few tips for parishes on how to prepare for and react to flooding to keep their records safe.

Flooding at College and Bathurst Streets, Toronto

April 7th, 1929

City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1266, Item 16107

According to Conservation Ontario, "flooding is the leading cause of public emergency in Ontario." Many parts of the Archdiocese have been affected by flooding in the past, so everyone can benefit from planning ahead. Here are a few steps you can take to make sure that the records in your parish will survive this type of emergency.

Always:

• Think safety first. Your records aren't worth an injury.
• Work with a plan, not in panic.

Before a Flood:

• Know your risk: You can check the website of your local conservation authority to see if your parish lies within a floodplain; but, even if it's not in a flood plain, your church is not immune to flooding. Keep an eye on the news for warnings and alerts.
• Make a plan: Include your archives in your disaster plan. Having a plan ahead of time reduces the mistakes that come with panic. Make sure that key people like the pastor and other parish leaders are familiar with the plan and their roles and responsibilities. Practice your plan!
• Maintain your building: Your records are safer if your space is properly cared for. Clear gutters and downspouts to make sure water is directed away from the building, and make sure street drains are clear of ice or debris. Inspect for leaks or cracks that could let water in. 
• Make a list: Knowing what records are in your parish and their location can help you prioritize what to move if you have warning of a coming event, or help you prioritize what to recover after an event. A list also helps you keep track of where records have been moved so you don't lose anything.
• Store records properly: Keep vital records in a secure fireproof and waterproof cabinet. Do not store records in the basement or on the floor. Vital records are those that are essential to continuing operations. In a parish these would include sacramental registers, legal documents, financial documents, property records, insurance documents, contracts, leases, and anything else you need to function. 
• Back up important records: 
• Your electronic records should be backed up regularly on an external drive and stored in a secure location. The archdiocesan department of Management Information Services can provide advice. 
• Vital records on paper should be copied and kept in an secure location. Sacramental records are already microfilmed by the Archives, but other important documents should also be backed up and kept in a secure location. The Archives can provide advice.

During a Flood:

• Safety is number one! Don't walk into flooded areas until you have the OK to do so from maintenance personnel to reduce the risk of electrocution.
• Assess the situation. Communicate with disaster recovery team members and ensure that everyone knows what the plan is.
• If water is dripping from the ceiling, cover shelves and cabinets with plastic sheeting.
• If records are moved to higher ground or offsite, keep impeccable notes of their location. 

After a Flood:

• Call the Archives for advice and assistance.
• If your documents get wet they can be salvaged, but action needs to be taken quickly to reduce the risk of mould, which can cause permanent damage. 
• If mould is present, always wear protective equipment such as gloves and masks. Move mould-affected items away from other items to prevent spreading.
• If there's too much material to handle quickly, use your list of records to prioritize treatment.
• Remember to record where records have been moved.
• Drying documents:
• Handle documents with care to reduce the risk of tearing.
• Gently rinse dirt off before drying.
• Move documents to a space where the temperature and humidity can be controlled. A cool, dry space with lots of air flow is best. Use fans to circulate air.
• Lay documents flat on a clean, sturdy surface lined with clean paper towels, and replace towels as they become soaked.
• Put paper towel or clean white paper in between leaves of books.
• Don't try to pull apart paper that is stuck together. Freeze and consult a conservator.
• Don't blot water-soluble ink.
• Hang photographs from a clothes-line or dry face up on paper towel. If photos are stuck together, don't try to separate them. Freeze them and consult a conservator.

• Freezing documents:
• If records can't be dried within 48 hours, freezing is an option. 
• If possible, pack items in milk crates or something that will allow air to circulate.
• Pack documents flat with freezer paper every few inches or between folders with bigger documents at the bottom
• Pack books spine down with freezer paper between each book. Don't pack too tightly, but don't allow books to sag.
• Place records in an industrial freezer, or a frost-free model household freezer on its coldest setting to avoid the formation of ice crystals.
• When time allows, thaw and follow drying procedures.

Documents are gently rinsed to remove dirt and debris during a training exercise.

ARCAT staff photo

Photos are hung to dry on a clothes-line.

ARCAT staff photo

Wet documents are laid on paper towel.

ARCAT staff photo

Paper towel is placed between pages to wick moisture away.

ARCAT staff photo

Remember! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! We're always here to help with planning and response, and there are lots of resources available to help you learn about what to do in an emergency:

• Toronto flood plain map: https://trca.ca/conservation/flood-risk-management/flood-plain-map-viewer/
• Toronto Region Conservation Authority flooding preparation guidelines: https://trca.ca/conservation/flood-risk-management/prepare/
• American Federal Emergency Management Agency guide to flood preparation for businesses: https://tinyurl.com/yxmue6lk
• Ontario Flood Forecasting and Warning Program: https://www.ontario.ca/law-and-safety/flood-forecasting-and-warning-program
• Public Safety Canada Emergency Preparedness Guide: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yprprdnssgd/yprprdnssgd-eng.pdf
• Governent of Canada tips for being flood ready: https://www.canada.ca/en/campaign/flood-ready.html
• Library of Congress guide for treating wet documents: https://www.loc.gov/preservation/emergprep/dry.html
• Minnesota Historical Society Salvage Procedures for Wet Items: http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/conservation/emergency.php
• Northeast Document Conservation Center Emergency Salvage of Wet Books and Records: https://tinyurl.com/ycugw768 

May Day 2017: Only YOU Can Prevent Archives Fires!

In the world of archives, May 1 is a day to think about disaster preparedness. We take a lot of care to control the environment in which we store sensitive material, but all of that work can be destroyed if we're not prepared for events such as fires or floods. This week we are looking at some examples of fire prevention and preparedness among the Catholics of Toronto.

One of the earliest examples is from 1853. Someone made an "inventory of books and documents of value deposited in fire proof closet in bishop's palace." The list includes account books, correspondence, and sacramental records (you might even say this is the earliest version of ARCAT!). Archivists still recommend that records vital to the function of an organization are stored in a way that protects them from fire.

The person who invested in a fireproof closet would have had in mind the Great Fire of 1849 that destroyed almost 15 acres of property only a few block away from St. Michael's Cathedral near the site of today's St. Lawrence Market, including Old City Hall, St. James Anglican Cathedral, and many other shops and offices.

Inventory of Books and Documents of Value, deposited in fire proof closet in Bishop's Palace, upper shelf, North end.

April 20, 1853

C AE01.09
Bishop de Charbonnel Fonds

In 1922 Archbishop McNeil had a three-ply tin clad sliding fire door installed in the House of Providence between the laundry and boiler rooms. Fire doors can be the difference between the survival and loss of life and property, as evidenced by the legendary story of the librarian who saved the Library of Parliament by closing the fire doors as centre block burned in 1916. Today, fire doors are a part of building codes, and ideally archival storage rooms are built using material that can withstand heat.

The House of Providence was no stranger to fire. In 1886 a stove in an attic room ignited bedding and furniture. Luckily, the fire department was able to contain the blaze, and all of the residents were evacuated safely. 

Letter to Archbishop McNeil regarding the installation of a fire door at the House of Providence.

December 22, 1922

MN AH11.104
Archbishop McNeil Fonds

In 1929 the Association of Canadian Fire Marshals resolved to take steps to limit the risk of fire caused by the use of nitrocellulose x-ray film. In archives, nitrate film requires special care and storage. It is extremely flammable, and if stored improperly, the film can degrade and release gasses that can spontaneously combust under the right conditions. Few archives store nitrate film, choosing instead to copy it and destroy the original.

The 1929 resolution below was in response to a fire at the Cleveland Clinic that started in the x-ray film storage room and resulted in severe loss of life. Archbishop McNeil would have had an interest in this issue because of the Catholic hospitals in his care.

Resolution of the Association of Canadian Fire Marshals

July 4, 1929

MN AH18.66
Archbishop McNeil Fonds

In the 1920s and 1930s Archbishop McNeil corresponded with the Dominion Fire Commissioner. He wanted to work with the Archbishop to ensure that Catholic lives and buildings in the Archdiocese were protected from fire.

Part of his motivation may have been a pair of fires that occurred in 1922. In March of that year, Ste. Anne de Beaupre Basilica was destroyed as the result of faulty wiring. In December the Basilica in Quebec City, which was dated from the 1650s and was opened by the first Bishop of Quebec burned. The conflagration resulted in the loss of countless artistic, cultural, and spiritual treasures.

Letter from the Dominion Fire Commissioner to Archbishop McNeil.

May 27, 1932

MN AH21.47
Archbishop McNeil Fonds

Each one of these documents is an example of learning from past mistakes and an attempt to stop history from repeating. We benefit from previous tragedies and disasters because they allow us to take proactive preventative steps to protect our resources. Lets use this week to do the things that make our collections safer!

MayDay 2015: Disaster Preparedness

May 1st is "MayDay," when archivists and cultural heritage professionals take personal and professional responsibility for doing something simple that can have a significant impact on a repository’s ability to respond to a disaster.

After a series of emergency situations in the United States, starting with Hurricane Katrina, a heritage assessment of historical repositories was conducted. The report found that few institutions have an up-to-date disaster plan, if they have one at all. In response to these findings, MayDay was initiated and is heavily promoted by the Society of American Archivists.

To participate in MayDay this year, we updated the emergency contacts list in our Disaster Contingency Plan. We then made business cards listing emergency contact phone numbers for each of the staff to keep in their wallets.

Lastly, we took stock of our Disaster Supply Kit and beefed up our stores to include: coveralls, hard hats, rubber shoe covers, rubber gloves, back support belts and headlamps (as modeled by our Director, Marc Lerman):

ARCAT Staff photo

Our model is all geared up in coveralls, hard hat, rubber shoe covers, rubber gloves, back support belt, headlamp, safety googles and dust mask. He is carrying a walkie-talkie with a functioning battery, as well as an up-do-date copy of the ARCAT Disaster Contingency Plan.

To the right, inside our storeroom, are duplicate hard copies of all of our findings aids.  If something happens to one set, or to our descriptive database, we'll have a back-up.

ARCAT Staff photo

Headlamps are especially useful during a power failure, when you need both hands free.

ARCAT Staff photo

Our Disaster Supply Store, kept in a watertight garbage bin.

ARCAT Staff photo

And thankfully, these rubber dress shoe covers allow you to salvage in style!

If you find yourself wondering what natural disaster could possibly befall Toronto, don't forget:

• 1834 Cholera Epidemic
• 1847 Typhus Epidemic
• 1849 Great Fire
• 1904 Great Fire
• 1954 Hurricane Hazel
• 1998 Ice Storm
• 2002-03 SARS
• 2008 Flood
• 2010 Earthquake (5.0-magnitude)
• 2013 Ice Storm
• 2013 Flood

Happy Prepping!