Are Your Records Disaster Ready?

Records and Information Management (RIM) Month is celebrated during the month of April to shed light on the significant impact RIM has on organizations. In 1995, the members of the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA) created Records and Information Management Month. In celebration of RIM, Records Analysis Services at the Library of Virginia is proactively taking charge of disseminating awareness of developing disaster recovery plans for essential and vital personal records. Having a plan for these types of records ensures that you can quickly access critical documents during emergencies of all sorts, including a natural disaster, fire, or evacuation.

The tragic event of Hurricane Helene in September 2024 served as a reminder of how important it is to protect essential records of government entities and personal records for individuals. It also reminds us about the importance of having a plan of action for potential emergencies. In a natural disaster such as Hurricane Helene, records that account for the operations and intrinsic value of businesses and personal lives were all impacted. This acknowledgment prompted the question, “How are essential and vital records stored in preparation for natural disasters and an emergency?”

From a government standpoint, localities and state agencies are authorized by the Library of Virginia to identify their “essential” records. Records within an agency serve as a reflection of the entity’s legal, administrative, fiscal, and historical value.  Essential records are records that are imperative to the functionality of the agency in the efforts to resume operations in the event of an emergency or disaster. From a personal recordkeeping standpoint, people should recognize where and how their vital records are stored. Vital records consist of information about someone’s personal identification and financial, legal, and health information. These records are valuable as they account for important life events.

Once an agency’s essential records are identified, a listing of these records is presented within a disaster recovery plan. Additionally, the list of essential records should be referenced periodically to ensure accurate and up-to-date information. The listing should reflect how the record is kept and identify where a copy of the record is located. In the scope of someone’s vital records, the creation of a simple document or checklist that lists important documentation and where it is located is sufficient. Examples of vital records include passports, birth certificates, social security cards, banking and loan account documents, insurance policies, and warranties.

To assist with recovery efforts, note how essential and personal vital records can be replaced in addition to important contact information. This process is parallel to how the Library of Virginia advises government agencies to develop and routinely review their disaster recovery plans. Whether it’s a government agency or a private citizen, proactively preparing for an emergency reduces the time and effort to resume normalcy even to a minimal degree.

As it pertains to government entities, a disaster recovery plan should include the steps to salvage records whether it is done internally or by contacting services to restore records. Proactivity to solidifying these details includes outlining internal salvaging steps for record types such as paper, photographs, and electronic devices. Within the plan, a list of potential contractors is imperative so that the contact information is already accessible. It is recommended that agencies consult with potential contractors to assess their services and identify how a vendor can support the agency’s record types in the event of a disaster.

Recovering someone’s personal vital records should follow the same concepts as those for government entities recovering their records. To assist with the recovery of vital records, there should be a centralized list of steps to recover and/or replace personal records. This could include instructions for getting a replacement birth certificate, including the required items needed to purchase a new one. By providing instructional details, you can most effectively prepare for worst-case scenarios.

Along with identifying essential and vital records, the storage location and accessibility to these records are important to recognize. Essential records should be treated with extreme care as they account for the operational concepts of an organization and someone’s personal life. This does not mean that other records are not valuable. Instead, essential and vital records represent the critical functionality of an organization or individual. While a utility bill is important, it does not impact a person’s life to the same extent as losing a birth certificate.

Whether it is a government entity or someone’s residential space, essential and vital records should be stored in places where they are protected and non-accessible to those who should not have access without permission. As it pertains to government entities, essential records are recommended to be stored off-site. If essential records are present within the physical location of the agency, duplication of those records is suggested to be stored ideally in off-site storage. The same precautions should be taken with someone’s personal vital records. Safe spaces include a fire-proof safe, a safe deposit box, or even a trusted person such as an attorney, depending on the type of records.

Effective records management for essential and vital records includes routine maintenance. Periodically check on your essential and vital records to ensure they are present but also to verify that their condition is safe. Within government entities, an evaluation of your essential records should be coordinated routinely. Remember, a disaster can be big or small. Periodically assessing the condition of your records allows your agency to seek restoration and salvaging services in a timely manner. Also, during periodic checks, evaluate the need to add additional essential and/or vital records. Government entities should update and evaluate their listing of essential records to ensure accuracy. Any duplications of essential and vital records should be treated in the same manner as the original.

So, what does the Library of Virginia have in store for the preservation of essential records? According to the Virginia Public Records Act, the Library of Virginia is responsible for developing a plan that is reviewed and updated every 5 years to ensure the preservation of public records in the event of a disaster or an emergency (§ 42.1-86. C.). Records Analysis Services is currently working on updating the records management site with disaster planning and recovery resources for government entities and citizens of the Commonwealth to utilize within their agencies and personal spaces. Ranging from templates to providing resources about salvaging different record types, we are aiming to cover all topics related to the proactive preservation of essential, archival records, and personal vital records.

While the Library of Virginia fulfills its requirements per the Virginia Public Records Act, how can you celebrate Records and Information Management Month? Start discussing records management and how serious it is within your government entity and your personal life. Start identifying your agency’s essential records and personal vital records to develop a plan of action in case of an emergency. Strategize your recovery efforts for restoring (or replacing) your records in the event of a disaster. Remember, the most critical step to disaster recovery is curating and maintaining a plan before a crisis happens. Just imagine the complexity of experiencing a disaster while trying to develop a plan after the damage is done.