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TEXAS MUSEUMS PITCH IN TO HELP HURRICANE
VICTIMS
Last Updated: 10/14/2005
October 14, 2005
Texas Association of Museums
3939 Bee Caves, Bldg. A, Suite 1B
Austin, Texas 78746
An Open Letter to the Membership:
On September 24, Hurricane Rita swept ashore near Sabine Pass with winds
of 130 miles per hour causing severe wind damage and localized flooding
in Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange. Thanks to a dramatic evacuation of
three million Texas and Louisiana residents from communities in the path
of the storm, comparatively few deaths have been directly attributable
to it. Storm related damage is another matter.
In an area from the upper Gulf Coast to Nacogdoches, many of our associates
in the museum field were affected by the hurricane, sometime in very personal
ways. For others the primary concern has been for salvaging collections
and stabilizing structures.
On behalf of the members of the Southeast Texas Museums Association,
I would like to extend our thanks to all of our friends in the museum
community throughout the state and beyond who have called or e-mailed
expressing concern and extending offers of aid and assistance. Please
know that these heartfelt expressions are warmly welcomed and greatly
appreciated.
Many institutions in the region are still assessing the damages. Staff
members are trying to determine how best to put their museums, and their
lives, back in order. Others are proceeding with recovery plans as best
they can. As time passes, and our needs become clear, we may take some
of you up on your kind offers of aid.
I would also like to extend the thanks of our group to the TAM office
staff who were our information lifeline during and following the storm.
Jack, Sandy and Joy are always great to work with, but their words of
encouragement and support made us all feel that help was indeed out there
and available for the asking.
Lastly, I would like to say a word about the 2006 Texas Association of
Museums annual meeting. Yes, Beaumont took a beating. But, we have been
down on the mat before. We are picking up the pieces, and when next April
rolls around, we will be ready for TAM. We still know how to throw a good
party here in Southeast Texas, and by the time you folks are ready to
visit, I think we are going to be in the mood to kick up our heels and
howl at the moon a bit. We hope you will all join us then as we celebrate
the rebirth of our city.
Thanks again for your support, your kind wishes, and your prayers.
Matthew L. White
President, Southeast Texas Museums Association
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NEW GUIDE HIGHLIGHTS DISASTER RELIEF FOR CULTURAL
INSTITUTIONS 10/13/2005
Federal grants for preparedness, response, and recovery are featured
A new resource from the Heritage Emergency National Task Force identifies
federal funding to help make an emergency plan, buy disaster supplies,
or train staff for next year’s hurricane season. Before and After
Disasters: Federal Funding for Cultural Institutions provides information
on 15 federal grant and loan programs to help cultural institutions and
historic sites prepare for and recover from disasters.
Before and After Disasters was produced by Heritage Preservation with
support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National
Endowment for the Arts. Before the guide was printed, the Task Force made
it available electronically as a Hurricane Resource to help victims of
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. These resources are located at http://www.heritagepreservation.org/PROGRAMS/TFHurricaneRes.HTM.
The programs described in Before and After Disasters help nonprofit arts
centers, archives, conservation and historic preservation organizations,
historical societies, historic sites, libraries, museums, and theaters,
among others.
Before and After Disasters is an updated and expanded version of Resources
for Recovery, last issued in 2000. The new booklet covers programs for
planning and mitigation as well as recovery. The agency profiles contain
information on eligibility and funding levels and include practical examples.
A selection of on-line resources helps institutions find professional
conservation expertise for their collections and the communities they
serve.
Up to 50 copies of Before and After Disasters can be ordered at no charge
from the FEMA publications office. Phone 800-480-2520 and ask for FEMA
publication #533. The 32-page booklet can also be downloaded from Heritage
Preservation’s Web site at
http://www.heritagepreservation.org/PDFS/Disaster.pdf.
The Heritage Emergency National Task Force has helped to make disaster
preparedness and response a higher priority for cultural heritage organizations
across the country. The Task Force—an initiative of Heritage Preservation
and the Federal Emergency Management Agency—is a partnership of
40 government agencies and national service organizations. Learn the latest
information on hurricane recovery efforts and find valuable disaster resources
at the Task Force Web site, www.heritageemergency.org.
Questions? E-mail TaskForce@heritagepreservation.org
or call 202-233-0800.
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FEMA FORMS 10/11/2005
Here are some of the forms you might need:
RPA
- Request for Public Assistance (PDF file)
PNP
- Private/Non-profit Facility Questionnaire
Public Assistance - Private/Non-Profit
Museum Eligibility
Public Assistance - Collections
and Individual Objects
Mail Forms to :
FEMA JFO
9001 North Interstate Highway 35
Austin, TX 78753
512.908.8700
FAX 512/908-8857
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Resources/ Links
and Other Useful Recovery Information
The American Institute for Conservation
of Historic & Artistic Works
AIC’s
Emergency Preparedness Response, And Recovery Committee
American
Association of Museums
Heritage
Preservation: Heritage Emergency National Task Force
American Association of State and Local History
IMLS
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Civil War Interactive
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Greetings from the slightly battered Edison Museum
10/10/2005
We seemed to have weathered the battering winds that came off the river
fairly well. The carpet had to be removed from the front door area, up
half way through the bottom of the museum from water coming under the
door. No displays have been damaged.
We lost 2 windows on the second floor, and the wind messed papers and
things up in the second floor office area (my office). There was no damage
to the back curatorial area where other artifacts are in storage.
No word yet on when they will finish the repairs, but we should be opening
soon.
Hope all is well with everyone else,
Melissa Phillips
Edison Museum
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McFaddin-Ward House Begins Hurricane Recovery
10/10/2005
”Hurricanes have come and gone in the past 100 years, but the
McFaddin-Ward House remains,” said museum director Matt White. “We
will
recover from Rita”
The stately mansion which became a historic house museum in 1986, the
legacy of Beaumont philanthropist Mamie McFaddin Ward, has begun recovery
efforts to clear the museum grounds of debris and restore the popular
attraction to regular operations.
Constructed in 1905-06, the 12,500 square foot home built for the prominent
McFaddin family by local architect Henry Mauer has weathered many storms
with comparatively little damage. In 1915, a storm destroyed a brick chimney
which was never replaced until the home’s restoration in 1984 but
throughout the years the structure has remained sound.
Hurricane Rita left her mark on the property with minor damage to the
main house like torn awnings ceiling plaster loosened by seeping water.
“On the whole, the house fared very well as did most of our other
properties,” said White. The only significant structural damage
to the complex has been at the historic 8,500 square foot carriage house
where a falling tree struck the building, crashing through the slate roof
and entering a second floor closet space. The restored servant’s
quarters also received some damage from the same tree.
" Trees were our big loss,” according to White, “the
museum grounds were
littered with the debris of 25 fallen trees including the last remaining
Canary Island Date Palm from the original group planted more that 75 years
ago.” The museum was fortunate though that the historic McFaddin
Oaks which grace the west side of the house and are registered with the
Live Oak Society were undamaged.
Repairs at the museum will be ongoing and it is anticipated that the site
will reopen to the public no later than November 2.
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Art Museum of Southeast Texas 10/10/2005
We have ceiling damage in the cafe where water saturated acoustical tiles.
The tiles have collapsed and fallen - it has something to do with the
flashing on the roof (I think). Janna's office (PR) was flooded. It butts
up against the cafe.
We are now open.
Lynn P. Castle
Executive Director
Art Museum of Southeast Texas
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Damage from Rita to Beaumont Area 10/10/2005
Beaumont
St. Anthony's Cathedral: damage to dome, water damage
Jefferson Theatre: some damage to air conditioning systems, some minor
water
damage
Hotel Beaumont: Roof damage and water damage to majority of rooms; penthouse
gone
Spindletop/Gladys City: building damage, replica oil derrick in center
destroyed.
 McFaddin-Ward
House: trees and limbs down, no visible building damage.
French Home Trading Post: trees and limbs down, no visible building damage.
Tyrrell Historical Library: Stained glass windows at the Tyrrell Library
not intact, lost one on the north side of the building. Large vent blew
out and archives and microfilm area wet.
Sabine Pass
Plummer-Deslatte House (a.k.a. the Pink House): water damage from storm
surge.
Sabine Pass Battleground Park: status unknown and park is closed.
Port Arthur
Rose Hill Manor: one broken column, shingles and downed limbs throughout
yard.
White Haven, Pompeiian Villa: appeared undamaged
Gates Library, other buildings at Lamar State College-Port Arthur: Minor
damage
Eddingston Court: downed trees and other minor damage. Conch-shell fence
and
other decorative structures intact.
Nederland
Tex Ritter Park: Dutch windmill blades damaged or missing, trees down.
Port Neches
La Maison Beausoleil: downed tree limbs, buildings appeared undamaged
Orange
W.H. Stark House: appeared undamaged
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Fire Museum of Texas 10/10/2005
Everything is good here at the Fire Museum of Texas. We only had some
windows blow out upstairs and both of our good signs outside broke and
collapsed. Other than that we are great! Thanks for thinking of all of
us.
Susan Lanning
Fire Museum of Texas
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Here is the 1, 2, 3.
9/19/2005
FEMA is covering 100% of the cost of debris removal [Category A] and
emergency measures [Category B], including rental and purchase of equipment,
work performed on contract, work performed on an hourly basis, and stabilization
of collections. You must document all your expenses for these reimbursements,
maintain accurate records and photograph the damage [i.e., flooded basements,
etc.].
Familiarize yourselves with two policies related to Public Assistance
titled Private Nonprofit Museum Eligibility and Collections and Individual
Objects. They are available on many websites including FEMA’s, AAM,
Heritage Preservation, the affected state museum associations, ALA and
others. We want to emphasize the criticality of any facility being eligible
for FEMA assistance. For example, if it’s a cultural institution
not open to the general public, we won’t be able to provide any
assistance.
Then, download, fill out and send the Request for Public Assistance along
with any required attachments [tax exempt certificate, organization charter
or bylaws], as stated at the bottom of the form. And if you’re a
nonprofit, also send a copy of the PNP Questionnaire. We recommend that
you refer to FEMA’s Environmental and Historic Preservation website
where you can download the Public Assistance Policy Digest, especially
since it also addresses eligibility issues
It is our intention to provide assistance at the earliest possible time,
but you should proceed with these measures to protect and stabilize your
collections and structures as soon as possible.
If you have any questions, DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL ME
at the numbers below. If you have trouble downloading the documents, I
will email them to you. Thanks.
Alan Z Aiches
Historic Preservation Specialist
Museums and Library Collections Liaison
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Joint Field Office - 1603-DR-LA
1500 Main Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
225.376.5146 - direct line
202.365.1697 - mobile
alan.aiches@dhs.gov
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FEMA Hiring 15-20 Historic Preservation Specialists
--9/12/2005
Angela Gladwell asked that the following be passed along to all those
participating in the Heritage Emergency National Task Force efforts to
assist in the Hurricane Katrina assessment and recovery efforts. As she
noted in a conference call, this solicitation is limited to those with
expertise in the areas described below.
Beginning immediately under an expedited process, FEMA
is hiring 15-20 Historic Preservation Specialists to work as part
of FEMA's environmental and historic preservation cadre of reservists
(Disaster Assistance Employees, or DAEs). This is on-call employment,
but due to Hurricane Katrina, there are immediate needs for these specialists.
I have attached a general job description with required knowledge, skills
and abilities and job responsibilities while in the field. Under this
position, we have various specialties, including archeologists, architectural
historians, historic preservation trainers, preservation architects, Section
106 specialists, and tribal/cultural specialists.
Please note that FEMA employees may be subject to 24-hour on-call in
the event of an emergency. This service may require irregular working
hours, work at locations other than the official duty station, and may
include duties other than those specified in the employee`s official position
description. Selectee must be able to relocate to emergency sites with
little advance notice and function under intense physical and mental stress.
If you are interested in applying for FEMA employment, please send your
resume or application or Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF-612)
OR any other written format to Fax number
(540) 542-2484. Please feel to also let me know that you
have submitted an application and I will do my best to keep track of where
it is in the process.
The resume or application must contain:
1. Indication that you are seeking a position as a Disaster Assistance
Employee in the Environmental and Historic Preservation Cadre as a Historic
Preservation Specialist
2. Full name, mailing address, day and evening phone numbers, social
security number, country of citizenship, branch and date
of military service, if applicable;
3. High school name and location, date of diploma or highest grade completed,
college name and location, majors, type and year of any degrees received;
4. Work experience that includes job titles, duties and accomplishments,
employer`s name and address, supervisor`s name and phone number, starting
and ending dates, hours per week and salary; and
5. List of other qualifications such as job related training courses,
job related skills, job related certificates and job related honors, awards
and special accomplishments.
Once applicants meet all general eligibility requirements, they will
be forwarded to each of the 10 FEMA Regions, based on the home address
of the applicant, for review and selection.
Angela R. Gladwell
Team Administrator
Environmental /Historic Preservation
FEMA, Department of Homeland Security
500 C. St., SW Room 417
Washington, DC 20472
202-646-3193 (o)
202-646-3990 (f)
Angela.Gladwell@dhs.gov
www.fema.gov/ehp
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Supply list for
recovery vans
1) ProText ResCube corrugated high density polyethylene
boxes(http://www.protext.net/products/rescube.html)
Or some other water resistant boxes or plastic milk crates for carrying
wet books and other materials. |
2) Freezer paper on rolls |
3) Polyester window screen (48 inch wide) for making drying racks
after stretching on artist stretcher bars. Need Anco canvas stretcher
bars, 6 pcs. each, 20, 30, 40, 60 inch lengths |
4) Stapler with monel staples |
5) Nitrile gloves |
6) Vinyl gloves |
7) Blotters, white |
8) Large polyethylene yard bags, clear |
9) Rolls of 4 mil polyethylene, clear |
10) Mylar |
11) 3M Blue painter’s masking tape |
12) Duct tape |
13) Rolls of Scott Rags paper towels |
14) Uninked newsprint on rolls (roll ends from a newspaper publisher
such as N &O) |
15) Large photo or bread trays |
16) Nylon clothes line |
17) Plastic clothes pins |
18) 6 foot folding tables or folding saw horses and plywood for
tables |
19) Sponges, natural latex (as used for smoke removal) |
20) Standard cleaning sponges |
21) Small buckets |
22) Plastic garbage cans of various sizes (5-50 gallons)
|
23) Work lights with extension cords |
24) Rubber pads to keep objects and drying racks off floor |
25) Plastic water spray bottles |
26) Rolls of cotton |
27) Resealable food storage bags |
28) Roll of Typar spunbonded polypropylene (3201C-041), actually
a landscape cover material |
29) 6 units of plastic grid shelves which can be assembled on-site
|
30) wood 2 x 4, 6 foot lengths, 10 pcs.
|
31) 5 packs of 30 x 40 cardboard, 25 sheets each |
32) Assorted tools such as scissors, mat knives, microspatulas,
scalpel, tweezers, Optivisors, registration forms, clipboards, Bic
pencils, digital camera with large storage cards |
33) Labels with strings |
34) Waterproof markers |
35) Clean mattress covers--useful for short soft packing ground
transport in those plastic milk cartons. |
36)Clean blankets--same |
37)Satellite phone |
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Message From
Ed Able, President/CEO, American Association of Museums
Folks - by now you have all seen the unbelievable devastation
along the gulf coast. While we have been unable to reach any of our colleagues
in the affected areas, the extent of the damage and flooding leaves no
doubt that our museums and their staffs have suffered extensive damage.
This email is to ask that you share with AAM any reliable information
that you hear from anyone in the field with knowledge about the situation
with our colleagues and their institutions. Please email me with a copy
to Jvaughan@aam-us.org and also
to Director@SEMCDirect.net
Janet Vaughan of our staff will be acting as the communication center
here at AAM and Richard Waterhouse, Exec Director of SEMC, is acting as
coordinator and communications center for the Southeast Museums Conference.
I sincerely hope that all of us are using our network of colleagues around
the country to prepare ourselves to give help and support to the museums
along the gulf coast.
Ed Able
AAM’s President/CEO
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Hurricane Katrina -
How to Contribute
The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) is assessing needs; identifying
available freezer space, storage facilities, and triage areas; receiving
donations of cash, goods, and services for distribution to affected museums.
Checks should be made payable to SEMC with Hurricane Katrina Fund noted
in the memo field. The mailing address is SEMC, P.O. Box 9003, Atlanta,
GA 31106. The SEMC board will make decisions regarding distribution of
the funds.
To offer use of space or equipment, donate salvage supplies, or volunteer
for salavge and recovery, contact Richard Waterhouse, SEMC executive director,
at 404-378-3153 or director@SEMCDirect.net.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) has established the
2005 Hurricane Relief Fund. Since much of the Gulf Coast's economy is
tourism based -- especially historic travel -- historic places will play
a critical role in the region's revival. Donations will support assessment
teams, assist small businesses through the National Main Street Center,
and disperse critical grant monies to organizations on the ground in affected
communities.
The American Red Cross (800) HELP NOW (435-7669) is accepting donations
for the overall recovery effort.
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