The fires in the Los Angeles region have caused devastation that will affect homes and businesses for months and years to come. When you are in a position to begin recovery efforts for library/archive/museum collection materials or personal family treasures, here are a few resources to get you started.

The Northeast Document Conservation Center has a Collections Emergency Hotline: 1-855-245-8303
NEDCC staff members are available 24/7 to provide telephone advice to institutions and individuals handling collection-related disasters. Information provided includes advice on drying wet collections and dealing with damage from fire, pests, and mold. This service does not include on-site assistance.

• NEDCC also has a wealth of resources on their website to aid in disaster response and recovery, including how to address fire damage and water damage of a variety of formats like books, papers and photographs. They also point to other helpful format-specific resources and videos.

Disaster Recovery Service Providers
Some disasters — such as those involving contaminated water or large mold outbreaks — are too large or complex for an institution or individual to handle alone. In these instances, NEDCC recommends working with a disaster remediation company experienced in handling cultural heritage collections. The following companies have expertise in this area and can be reached around the clock:

 Belfor      800-856-3333
 BMS Cat     877-730-1948
 Polygon     800-422-6379

The National Heritage Responders (NHR) respond to the needs of cultural institutions and the public during emergencies and disasters through coordinated efforts with first responders, state agencies, vendors, and the public. This program is administered by the American Institute for Conservation.
Emergency Help for individuals – if your personal items have been damaged in an emergency, email
NHRpublichelpline@culturalheritage.org
For institutions – if your collections have been affected by an emergency, call: 202.661.8068
Not urgent? Email emergencies@culturalheritage.org.

The American Institute for Conservation has tip sheets on dealing with fire, smoke, soot and water and has some videos on salvaging wet material of various types.

• AIC offers grants for Emergency Collection Assessments for Preservation for museum collections.

The National Coalition for Arts Preparedness & Emergency Response has multiple resources for individuals and arts nonprofits:

• An Arts Field Guide to Federal Disaster Relief helps demystify the FEMA and SBA disaster assistance process for artists and nonprofit arts organizations.
• A Rapid Impact Assessment Form for affected arts and culture communities.

Balboa Art Conservation Center in San Diego has a soot and ash recovery guide.

FEMA offers a guide on saving your family treasures – books, paper, photographs, heirlooms and more.

The Society of American Archivists has funds set up for disaster recovery assistance.