Emergency recovery will be a little less stressful if an institution has made prior contact with consultants and vendors. If you have not yet contacted a conservator who specializes in the types of materials in your collection, do so as part of disaster planning. Perhaps you can arrange to have a collection survey performed by a conservator; this would allow you to get to know the person and the surveyor would become familiar with your collection. Consult Section 7, for names of conservation centers and as well as private conservators in the region.

It will also be useful to become familiar with some of the salvage companies listed in here. Call, visit their websites, or get their brochures. One technique is not necessarily best in all situations. Another consideration is availability. There are relatively few .i.recovery companies; salvage firms; and disasters do appear to come in bunches so it is a very good plan to be in contact with more than one company in the course of disaster planning. All will send information and some offer non-emergency services as well. A representative may pay a courtesy call to get to know you and your institution.

And remember that the services of conservators and recovery companies are expensive, so there should be adequate insurance or contingency funds for the purpose.