COSTEP Salem to hold annual meeting for local cultural institutions

Nov. 7, 2013 - PRLog -- Release Date: November 7, 2013

         Salem, Massachusetts is chock full of cultural institutions that capture four centuries of history that have impacted not only the local, but the nation as well. Visitors come in droves to learn about the 1692 Witch Trials, the China Trade, and architecture through the centuries. Many collections are priceless in telling these stories. The question must be posed: what would Salem’s cultural institutions do if disaster struck?

         COSTEP Salem, a chapter of COSTEP MA, which stands for Coordinated Statewide Emergency Preparedness, will be hosting its annual meeting at the Peabody Essex Museum on Tuesday, November 19 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. to address that very question. Any local institution that hosts a culturally significant collection that is accessible to the general public is welcome to join in the meeting. Speakers will include Dennis Levaseur of the Salem Fire Department, Andrew Grilz of COSTEP MA, and Julie Arrison of Historic New England and the city’s Cultural Triage Officer. The keynote speaker will be Sara Wolf of the National Park Service who will talk about her work with cultural institutions following disasters including Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy.

         Dennis Levaseur, the city’s emergency management director, states in the COSTEP MA video that will also be aired at the event, that it’s “better to meet at the table before the disaster happens rather than exchange business cards when something is going on.” This meeting will be that opportunity to have an initial meeting, learn about ways to start the planning process, and to meet with institutions that can help to support your needs.

         RSVP’s or questions about the meeting can be sent to Julie Arrison at PhillipsHouse@historicnewengland.org.

###

COSTEP Salem, a chapter of Coordinated Statewide Emergency Preparedness Massachusetts (COSTEP MA), seeks to preserve Salem’s rich cultural heritage by bringing together the organizations that manage cultural resources and assist them in planning, responding, and recovery from disaster by coordinating with local emergency management and providing educational opportunities and resource sharing for Salem institutions.