DES MOINES, Iowa – If you have family treasurers, heirlooms, photos and books that were damaged in the March flooding, do not throw them away just yet. You may be able to save them, and some experts from the Smithsonian Institution can help you.
Preservation professionals will host workshops at state/federal Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) Wednesday, April 24 and Thursday, April 25. See below for times and addresses:
Wednesday, April 24, 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Fremont County DRC
2014 290th Ave., Sidney, IA, 51652
Wednesday, April 24, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Mills County DRC
111 Lacey St., Glenwood, IA, 51534
Thursday, April 25, 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Harrison County DRC
Harrison County Fairgrounds Exhibit Building
800 West Huron St., Missouri Valley, IA, 51555
The event is sponsored by The Heritage Emergency National Task Force, a coalition of 58 national organizations and federal agencies co-sponsored by FEMA and the Smithsonian Institution that offers basic salvage guidelines.
If you can’t make any of those events, FEMA offers two fact sheets that can help you save your possessions.
Here are some basic procedures to get you started:
- If your prized possessions have been in contact with sewage or any chemicals, you will need professional help. Call IMALERT (Iowa Museums, Archives and Libraries Emergency Response Team) at 319-384-3673. They accept calls from members of the public and can provide advice and suggest a conservator who can help you. Other sources of help include the Ford Conservation Center in Omaha, 402-595-1180, and the Midwest Art Conservation Center in Minneapolis at 612-870-3120.
- Gentle air-drying indoors is best for all your treasured belongings. Hair dryers, irons, ovens and prolonged exposure to sunlight will do irreversible damage. Increase indoor airflow with fans, open windows, air conditioners and dehumidifiers.
- Use great caution in handling your heirlooms, which can be especially fragile when wet. Separate damp materials: remove the contents from drawers; take photographs out of damp albums; remove paintings and prints from frames; place paper towels between the pages of wet books.
- Gently loosen dirt and debris on fragile objects with soft brushes and cloths. Avoid rubbing, which can grind in the dirt.
- Clean photographs by rinsing them carefully in clean water. Air-dry photos on a plastic screen or paper towel, or by hanging them by the corner with plastic clothespins. Don’t let the image touch any other surfaces as it dries.
- You may not be able to save everything, so focus on what’s most important to you, whether for historic, monetary or sentimental reasons.
For more information, visit the Heritage Emergency National Task Force at https://culturalrescue.si.edu/hentf/ or email HENTF@si.ed.
FEMA Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has faced discrimination, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362, voice/711/video relay service. Multilingual operators are available. TTY users may call 800-462-7585.
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FEMA's mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.
HSEMD Mission: To lead, coordinate and support homeland security and emergency management functions in order to establish sustainable communities and ensure economic opportunities for Iowa and its citizens.
The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education and research complex, with 19 museums and galleries and the National Zoological Park all in the United States.