The latest initiative developed by the disaster network Delaware Disaster Assistance Team (DDAT) is a unique partnership between DDAT member institutions and the student chapter of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) at the University of Delaware (IAEM@UD). Last fall, DDAT launched a pilot program to pair up graduate student volunteer teams of 2–3 students to work with representatives of DDAT member organizations to assess their existing institutional disaster plans (if they had one) and to make recommendations and provide support and resources to either create a plan or enhance an existing one. This is as a win-win project: DDAT member organizations get semi-professional support and assistance with a task that many seem to find daunting but that is, of course, at the core of any organization’s preparedness, while the student volunteers gain valuable experience not only consulting on the development of disaster plans but also in interacting with cultural heritage organizations, which gives them a unique perspective and challenge. The initial pilot involving a library has just been completed, and results were both informative and positive. A second pilot involving a museum will be initiated soon, and a full roll-out of the program will take place early this spring. Work is also underway to incorporate graduate students in UD’s Museum Studies Program as assessment team members assigned to museums to strengthen the teams’ skill set. To learn more about the partnership project, contact Pat Young at the Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware.
State Heritage Emergency Partnership 