Tune in monthly for a curated collection of articles we found interesting on a broad range of topics; some which are directly related to records management and others which might share common themes. No, we didn’t write these articles —hence the name of this series, “Off the Record”— , but fortunately we didn’t need to…
Of all the records that your office creates, very few warrant the creation of back-up tapes and those that do will typically be an essential record. In short, essential records are usually records that are necessary to conduct emergency responses, to resume or continue operations,and to protect the safety and rights of residents. Other records…
Every once in awhile we have the opportunity to explore an area that’s related to, but outside the traditional scope of, records management. As our agency’s Continuity of Operations (COOP) Coordinator, I attended the Emergency Management All Hazards/Stakeholders Summit in Houston 6 December to learn some tidbits to implement or at least consider in our planning efforts. The audience…
Closely associated with water damage is mold damage, a by-product of excessive moisture and temperature (and air, a food source, and surface to grow). As with water damage to your records, you may want to contact a vendor to assist with recovery and salvage efforts. First determine if the mold is active or dormant. Look and…
Folks in Laredo and other areas in South Texas recently have had to deal with flooding and there’s a strong possibility of some of their records being damaged. What do you do if this occurs to you? Well, is the water clean, salty, or potentially contaminated? You first want to know the nature of the water. Emergency authorities…
With hurricane season underway and Hurricane Alex (as of 30 June) headed north toward the southern tip of Texas, hopefully you have your emergency management plan in place, your vital/essential records identified and protected, and those records backed up and stored off-site (recommended at least 30 miles from the originals). Should you get hit by Alex…