Q: I had just had a flood what do I do first?

A: The first thing to do is not to panic. Check it is safe with authorities to return to the building. Assess the situation and deal with the most damaged and most valuable items first.

Consult a conservator or relevant heritage professional.

Often your local art gallery, museum or library can assist with information.
Check relevant short cuts on this website for specific types of disaster.

Q: What do we salvage first?

A: This will depend. If you have very valuable or significant collections, these should be salvaged first. However if these are safe and secure and not affected by the flood wettest and most fragile first.

Consult a conservator or relevant heritage professional.

Often your local art gallery, museum or library can assist with information as well.

Q: Who do I get expert advice from to save my heritage collections?

A: You should contact a conservator for advice and possible repair.

Often your local art gallery, museum or library can assist with information as well.

Q: Where can I get equipment from to salvage my collection?

A: Consult the regional telephone directory to find local equipment hire companies or contact us for more specific advice.

Q: What is the best way to handle wet material

A: Use gloves and transport any object on a support such as a trolley or tray.

Q: How do we deal with wet material

A: Separate by how much they were affected by water. Common categories are sopping wet, wet, damp and dry wet damp and dry. Put similarly affected collections in different locations and consult a conservator who specialises in the specific area of type of object or collections affected.