RECORDS RECOVERY
Donna Read, CRM, CDIA
Florida Gulf Coast ARMA Chapter
June 2014
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery Fire--BuildingFire--Building
Building can be unstBuilding can be unstable Bare electrical wiresBare electrical wires Water and smoke damageWater and smoke damage Extinguishing chemiExtinguishing chemicals
Fire--RecordsFire--Records Completely burnedCompletely burned CharredCharred Smoke damageSmoke damage Water damage from fire fighting Water damage from fire fighting
and sprinklersand sprinklersRecords Center Fire, 1973
Records RecoveryRecords RecoveryWind (Tornado, hurricane, etc.)Wind (Tornado, hurricane, etc.)
Structural damage to buildingStructural damage to building Possible water damagePossible water damage Could be fires afterwardsCould be fires afterwards
Wind--RecordsWind--Records Torn and scatteredTorn and scattered Possible water damagePossible water damage Could be burnedCould be burned
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery Water--BuildingWater--Building
Structural damage Structural damage Water soaking of drywall, etc.Water soaking of drywall, etc. Mold/mildew/contaminantsMold/mildew/contaminants
Water--RecordsWater--Records Soaked to a pulpSoaked to a pulp Warped bindings, foldersWarped bindings, folders Paper damage, wet paper tears easilyPaper damage, wet paper tears easily Water soluble inksWater soluble inks Mold/mildewMold/mildew If flood, then records could be contaminatedIf flood, then records could be contaminated
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery Terrorism--BuildingTerrorism--Building
Varied levels of destructionVaried levels of destruction Need to conduct a criminal Need to conduct a criminal
investigationinvestigation
Terrorism--RecordsTerrorism--Records Damage depends on Damage depends on
methodmethod Staff needs to cooperate Staff needs to cooperate
with investigationwith investigation Records might be the targetRecords might be the target
Oklahoma City, April 1995 (FEMA)
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery
Quiet Disaster--RecordsQuiet Disaster--Records Pest problems (mice, insects)Pest problems (mice, insects) Media DecayMedia Decay Acid in paperAcid in paper Food spillsFood spills LightLight TemperatureTemperature HumidityHumidity Air qualityAir quality Poor records Poor records
managementmanagement
Basic Terms
ResponseActions taken to limit the damage
and to prepare to recover records
RecoveryActions taken to return records to
use and to resume operations
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery
Recovery and salvageRecovery and salvage Some commercial firms specialize Some commercial firms specialize
in disaster recoveryin disaster recovery
Some salvage must be done Some salvage must be done quicklyquickly
You might need to stabilize records You might need to stabilize records before you can salvage thembefore you can salvage them
Records RecoveryRecords RecoveryRecovery and salvage--Step 1Recovery and salvage--Step 1 EnvironmentEnvironment
Make sure building is stableMake sure building is stable Fire Department or other authorities Fire Department or other authorities will authorize entrywill authorize entry
Assemble recovery teamAssemble recovery team Assemble assessment equipmentAssemble assessment equipment
Cameras, laptops, batteries, Cameras, laptops, batteries, notepads, etc.notepads, etc.
Before Entering the Area
Do not enter the area until the official in charge has declared it safe to do so.
Ensure that structural and contamination hazards have been corrected.
Ensure that the location is secured and establish a security entry checkpoint.
Orleans Parish, Hurricane Katrina
—2005
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery
Recovery and salvage--Step 1 Recovery and salvage--Step 1 (continued)(continued)
EnvironmentEnvironment Set up triage and Set up triage and
other work areasother work areas May need to May need to increase the increase the area’s sizearea’s size
Wear protective Wear protective gear as neededgear as needed Volunteers at bleach
handwash, Fargo 2000
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery
Recovery and salvage--Step 2Recovery and salvage--Step 2 AssessmentAssessment
How much damage and what kindHow much damage and what kind Document the damageDocument the damage Are there enough resources Are there enough resources What is replaceable, what must be What is replaceable, what must be
treated, what can be discardedtreated, what can be discarded What media--computer, paper, What media--computer, paper,
film or allfilm or all
Assessment Team—Responsibilities
Records Specialists and Preservation Specialists Recording observations and
recommending priorities
Photographing damage to records
Investigating, documenting, and indicating extent of the damage to and significance of the records
Estimating the volume
Noting additional risks2000—Suitland, NARA
Document the Volume and
Extent of Damage Damage type—
water (clean or potentially contaminated), fire or soot, and/or mold
Volume of records damaged
Locations of damaged records
2006—WNRC—NARA
What Do You Observe?
2000— Suitland fire—NARA
Identify Damaged Records
Identify the record types, including the finding aid or database
Identify easily replaced records
Identify formats
Identify damage
Identify records that require additional expertise and/or expense to recover
Analyze Information on Damaged Records
Value of the information and/or intrinsic value of the record itself
Vulnerability of the media
Frequency of use
NARA—Suitland fire—2000
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery
Recovery and salvage--Step 3Recovery and salvage--Step 3 Beginning recovery (partly Beginning recovery (partly
concurrent with Step 2)concurrent with Step 2) Needs depend on amount of damageNeeds depend on amount of damage Contact vendors if necessaryContact vendors if necessary Assemble equipmentAssemble equipment Document everything; contacts, Document everything; contacts,
damage...damage... Begin stabilizationBegin stabilization
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery
Recovery and salvage--Step 4Recovery and salvage--Step 4 StabilizeStabilize
Stabilization depends on damage and Stabilization depends on damage and mediamedia
Water damage found in many Water damage found in many disastersdisasters
Stabilize by keeping wet things wet, Stabilize by keeping wet things wet, dry things drydry things dry
Mold begins forming on wet/damp Mold begins forming on wet/damp paper in 48 hours or lesspaper in 48 hours or less
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery
Recovery and salvage--Step 4aRecovery and salvage--Step 4a StabilizeStabilize
Freezing is good way to preserve Freezing is good way to preserve paperpaper Use commercial freeze-dryer Use commercial freeze-dryer companycompany
Handle carefullyHandle carefully Try to do nothing that will damage the Try to do nothing that will damage the
items furtheritems further Pack-out to salvage areaPack-out to salvage area
Recovery and Recovery and salvage--salvage--Step 5Step 5
SalvageSalvage Some Some
damage damage requires requires professional professional conservatorsconservators Conservators in paper lab (NARA)
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery
Records Records RecoveryRecovery
Recovery and salvage--Step 5aRecovery and salvage--Step 5a SalvageSalvage
If you can, dry paper under If you can, dry paper under controlled conditions to reduce moldcontrolled conditions to reduce mold
Dry computer media and Dry computer media and equipment, do not touch magnetic equipment, do not touch magnetic surfaces surfaces
Rewash microfilm and dryRewash microfilm and dry Photographs; air-dry is preferable, Photographs; air-dry is preferable,
do not touch emulsiondo not touch emulsion
Records RecoveryRecords RecoveryRecovery and salvage--Step 5bRecovery and salvage--Step 5b SalvageSalvage
In case of fire damage, stabilize In case of fire damage, stabilize and salvage as much as possibleand salvage as much as possible
Some papers will be ash,Some papers will be ash, others will be charred others will be charred or have smoke damage or have smoke damage
Records may be wet fromRecords may be wet from fire hoses fire hoses
Records RecoveryRecords Recovery
Recovery and salvage--Step 6Recovery and salvage--Step 6 RecoveryRecovery
Assess and document lossAssess and document loss Replace computer equipment as Replace computer equipment as
necessarynecessary Re-create lost records through Re-create lost records through
collateral records, etc.collateral records, etc. Re-establish vital records with Re-establish vital records with
their duplicatestheir duplicates
New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and the breaking of the levees
—September 2005
Assess the Nature and Severity
of the DamageHow many staff are available right
now?
How many records are affected?What formats?What is their value?
Is this too large for you to handle?
Small-Scale Incident Can recover
using in-house resources
Within timeframe that does not put
records at increased risk for mold
With resources and expertise at hand
NARA—WNRC—2005
Medium-Scale Incident
Staff will need to be reassigned
A structure and response plan will be needed
Limited outside expertise or contracted resources may be needed
NARA—Suitland fire—2000
Large-Scale IncidentAffects all staff and
the long-term mission of the agency
Requires extensive resources and use of contractors, including labor, beyond that available in the agency
Gulfport SBA and Court—2005
Initial Coordination Meeting with Incident
Command TeamBe ready to brief ICT about
your program’s authorities, responsibilities, equipment, skill, experience, and capabilities with respect to records, as well as any constraints under which it may be operating.
Communicate Decisions with Documentation of
DamageWhich records are affected
Their current condition
Decisions regarding recovery priorities and techniques
In-House ResponsePrimarily for a
small volume of damp or wet records
When resources and staff are sufficient
2006—WNRC— NARA Conservation Lab NIH records at WNRC
Incident that Requires External
Resources/ContractorsDamage is
extensive
Damage includes damage from fire, mold, or contaminated water
2005 —Hurricane Katrina
—Orleans Parish
Incident that Requires External
Resources/ContractorsDamage affects
special mediamaterials
2005 —Hurricane Katrina
—Orleans Parish
Contractor Services These services may
include:
Dehumidification for the location
Freezer and cold storage facilities
Transportation in freezer trucks
Vacuum freeze dryers
Sanitization and decontamination services
Mold remediation services
Magnetic tape recovery and preservation reformatting
Microfilm recovery and preservation reformatting
Data recovery services
Preservation reformatting of textual materials
Motion picture film recovery
Equipment for transporting boxes (conveyors, pallet jacks, etc.)
Deliverables from Contractors
Facility stabilization Re-housing records in
new containers Re-labeling Transporting damaged
records Retrieval and packing of
damaged records Freezing water-
damaged records Storage of frozen
records until recovery is completed
Vacuum freeze-drying water-damaged records
Air-drying records Cleaning records Sanitizing and/or
decontaminating records Recovery of special
formats, including photographs, microfilm, magnetic media, film, electronic record formats such as CDs, DVDs, optical disks, hard drives, etc.
Reformatting records
Plan Tracking System Move records from the affected areas to the on-site recovery area
Track records which have been removed, their original location, their location during recovery, type(s) of damage, and all actions performed on them
Use paper, pens, pencils, waterproof markers, and a clipboard to begin recording
Determine which records need to be removed and in what order
Develop codes and labels for tracking
2006—WNRC—NARA
Identification for Tracking
Make sure each container is identified on at least two sides
Create an inventory that lists:Unique identifier
linked to content typeOriginal location
If necessary, include:Destination during
recoveryAll actions
performed and by whom
Illustrating two kinds of tracking
Requirements for Recovery and Staging Areas
Areas should:Have good lightingHave good air circulationHave access to clean running
waterBe securable with locks and
certain to remain secured at the appropriate level for the records being handled
Freezing Records Freezing records is a
good option if you cannot treat all of the wet records within 48 hours
Locate large freezers on-site, such as those in a cafeteria, or rent freezer trucks or freezers
You can also use a small household chest or upright freezer
The range of freezer choices from trailer to chest
Pack-Out GuidelinesDo not begin moving records
until your salvage or staging area is prepared
Determine removal methods
Determine priorities
Packing-Out
2006—WNRC—NARA staff
removed the wettest boxes first, reboxed where needed, inventoried, tracked, and palletized 18,000 boxes in five days
Should Records Be Kept Wet and Recovered by
a Specialized Contractor?
Examples of records to keep wet:hard drives from computersmicrofilm, and motion picture films
These records should be sent immediately to a specialized contractor for recovery using specialized equipment
Paper-based Records that Require
Special Handling Large or oversized
paper (maps, architectural or engineering drawings)
Coated papers
Encapsulated and shrink-wrapped records
Air-Drying Bound Volumes
Small bound volumes with rigid covers—stand upright
Partially wet volumes—stand upright
Large and heavy volumes— lay flat
Volumes that have soft covers —lay flat
Photographic Film and Prints
CDs and DVDs
2006—Suitland—NIH material
Computer Hard Drives
A CPU that was allowed to dry and rust. This illustrates the need to wrap and seal in static free plastic and recover immediately. (From one of the Orleans Parish offices, post-Hurricane Katrina, 2005)
Magnetic Tape
2006—WNRC—NARA
Mold Growing on Records
NARA— Suitland—2000
Dangerous for staff to handle without protective gear
Damaging to the records
Difficult and expensive to recover from
Small Outbreaks of Mold
Large Outbreaks of Mold
Quarantine and freeze recordsFreezing will halt growth but not kill
spores
If too big for you to handle:Call a contractor
If you can handle:Clean.Vacuum freeze-dry.
Overview of Drying Methods Air-Drying
Also can use air-drying with added heat
Vacuum Freeze-Drying
No longer used or less effective: Vacuum thermal
drying Thermal vacuum
freeze-drying Freeze-drying (no
vacuum)
NARA Conservation Laboratory Test Results
comparing drying methods
Module 2-55
Air-Drying Considerations
Pros: Best results for
photographs, if placed under restraint, and other special media (including magnetic tape)
Best for plastic coated materials, and architectural or engineering drawings
Best for minimizing corrosion of metal fasteners
Records air-drying
Module 2-56
Air-Drying Considerations Cons:
Requires large surface areas
Is labor-intensive
Runs the risk of disruption of original order of records
Generates costs for absorbent materials
Alters the appearance
Requires time to dry records
Hinders access to records
Records air-drying
Tips for Air-Drying Drying time will depend on
optimizing environment and care. Temperature should be below 65 ° F and RH as low as possible (below 60%)
Use fans pointed at the ceiling and kept on 24 hours/day to keep the air circulating.
Remove records from containers and spread them on surfaces to dry in the air.
Ensure that the original container and order of records are identified, labeled, associated, and maintained throughout the drying process
Spread records out in stacks no more than ¼ to ½ inch thick
As records dry, change the absorbent paper underneath frequently and turn the records
Tips for Air-Drying Special Media
Records in encapsulations or L-sleeves of plastic must be removed to dry
Records on coated paper must be separated and/or interleaved to dry in order to prevent sticking or blocking
Bound volumes, depending on the sturdiness of the covers, will need to be standing with pages fanned open or laid flat with pages fanned open
For interleaving bound volumes, the total number of interleaving sheets should be no more than one-third the thickness of the volume to limit damage to the binding.
Metal fasteners may need to be removed if they have begun to rust or corrode.
Summary What type of disaster has hit your records?
Stabilize the environment
Assess the damage
Stabilize the records
Salvage the records
Determine best recovery methods
Prioritize
Recover the records
The End
Donna Read, [email protected]