Photo by BC HERN.
The BC Heritage Emergency Response Network (BC HERN) is an initiative that several conservators and heritage professionals have been working on for almost a decade. The overarching goal of the BC HERN is to create an organized support network for the salvage of collections following an emergency. The formation of the network is based on two principles: creating community by establishing connections between institutions, and training individuals in these institutions on collections salvage procedures. Initially the intention was to capture the interest of museums and galleries but participation in the BC HERN now extends to libraries, archives, and Indigenous cultural centres.
On June 30th 2021, the Lytton Creek wildfire devastated the town of Lytton and the Lytton First Nation, consuming 90% of the buildings. The BC HERN was approached to assist with the salvage of collections in Lytton three months after the fire. The Lytton recovery was, and remains, the most significant event that the HERN has responded to so far and it marked a shift in the level of interest on the part of heritage professionals to become better prepared for institutional emergencies.
This talk will introduce the BC HERN, describe the Lytton response, and look at how current HERN efforts are working towards building support for heritage keepers in the current environment of climate change-related disasters.
Tara Fraser studied paper conservation at Queen’s MAC program and has worked in private practice for 30 years. She has assisted archives, libraries and museums in numerous emergency situations and with developing institutional disaster plans. As part of the BC HERN Steering Committee, she participates in disaster salvage training and resource development.