However you decide to respond, we suggest that you document factual information and your decision-making processes. As well as helping you keep track in the present, this will provide future administrative and provenance information for a rapid response collection.
We have identified the following as helpful issues to consider:
What has happened, where and when?
Who is involved?
What has happened, where and when?
Think about:
- What is the nature and scale of an event?
- What immediate impact(s) are there?
- Has something similar occurred previously, whether locally or internationally?
- How likely might something similar reoccur?
- Is your parent body involved in co-ordinating or leading an emergency response?
- Do you understand the procedures and people involved in this response? This introduction to civil emergency preparation and response from the Local Government Association gives a useful overview.
- Are investigations, criminal or civil proceedings, inquests, or a public enquiry already taking place? Are they likely? Investigations, criminal proceedings and public enquiries may mean that there is public attention after the event for a significant period of time. Some proceedings may be delayed until others have been concluded.
Featured case study: West Sussex Record Office
Where are people responding?
Important considerations:
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- Is this digitally/virtually (for example, using specific social media hashtags or on specific sites/platforms)? Crowdfunding sites and petitions may be set up, as well as any specific memorialising or campaigning websites.
- Are any physical location(s) likely to be needed for their pre-existing purpose quickly (for example, station entrance, bridge, thoroughfare)? Some physical locations may be important for a community to ‘get back to normal’ once any forensic investigation has concluded or damage to infrastructure repaired. Services have found that items may need to be removed quickly in these cases. Outdoor locations will be affected by the weather.
What responses are people making?
Are they choosing particular symbols? How are these changing over time? Archives have found it can be helpful to be aware of any (changing) patterns of responses. Virginia Tech found that in the first few days a lot of food items were brought to the campus, which were distributed to students. Later, art and craft items like paintings and quilts and other items were left at spontaneous memorials. Many people may adopt particular symbols, such as the bee following the Manchester Arena attack, green hearts after the Grenfell Tower fire, or Paddington Bear soft toys following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Who is involved?
People to consider among those directly involved might include participants in or survivors of an event, first responders and the emergency services, and bereaved people (including families of origin, families of choice, and friends).
Bear in mind that everyone is different, in different circumstances. Where people have been harmed or have died, remember different individuals will have different relationships to them. For example, some people directly involved in the event may be estranged from their family of origin, or be in abusive relationships. You should therefore use inclusive language such as “bereaved people” (rather than “families”) or “people that have been affected” (not “victims”).
Awareness of overlapping aspects of identity (‘intersectionality’)
It is important to be sensitive to different aspects of identity, particularly of those directly affected or who have died. You could consider potential protected characteristics under the Equality Act (2010) as well as socio-economic status. For example, being disabled, using a first language other than English, specific religious or cultural practices relating to burial, or availability of financial resources, may shape how people respond to an event and also how they are treated by others.
- The Equality and Human Rights Commission has information on protected characteristics (applies to England, Scotland and Wales).
- The Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission says “It is often hard to clearly define the many different ‘groups’ of people whose lives have been affected irreversibly by the events of 14 June 2017. Words and ‘labels’ often fail to do justice to how personal experience of the tragedy intersects in multiple ways. There are both shared and unique experiences among the affected individuals and families, just as every family and individual is different, and assumptions can’t be made. There are also communities within larger communities… We know that the language we’ve used might not be what everyone would choose, but we’ve done our best to be as clear as we can.”
How are people responding?
Are particular groups, either newly formed or existing, involved?
It is important to engage with a broad array of stakeholders. Good engagement can start early, particularly if your service has pre-existing relationships with groups. However, be careful not to rely too heavily on or give undue precedence to individuals who may claim to be community leaders or representatives. Be aware of who might not be represented in your engagement. There will be a range of needs, responses and views and consensus may take time to build. The Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission reports describe engagement and consultation grounded in empathy and sensitivity, diversity and inclusion, and collaboration.
The Australian Red Cross (PDF, 1.9MB) says it is important to be aware that collective events may have wide reaching impacts.
More people than those directly involved may feel affected by an event and wish to participate in responding to the event. Participating can be helpful for individual and community healing after crisis events. Participating might not suit everyone, but for those it does, it might be a powerful and potentially healing experience.
Contributing online or to a physical temporary site or memorial may therefore bring together a range of people, with a range of emotional experiences. People may find others who are experiencing similar feelings and emotions. This can normalise feelings like shock, sadness, anger, loss and grief, and can assist in (re)establishing feelings of social solidarity and belonging. Some people may not have their own informal support networks, and draw upon the collective nature of temporary sites to seek support.
Participating in response to a specific call for collecting can be very helpful for some people. Many of those involved may want to tell their story to enhance the visibility of events and those affected. This may support people’s recovery, as well as preserving knowledge and evidence for the future. It takes time and care to recruit people, build a trusting relationship and gain their informed consent, but this is an important part of working ethically and of preserving their contributions.
Featured case study: Lancaster University
Whatever the scope of your rapid response collecting, it can be helpful to be aware that not everyone will feel the same way. Some people might respond in ways that might challenge, offend or harm others.
Some archives have retained material with a wide spectrum of opinions in their rapid response collecting. However, they might limit the availability of material which may be offensive, to limit the potential for harm whilst still representing the range of responses to the event. You can read more about this on the ‘Documenting and selecting material‘ page.
Remember that you, and other people working in archives (both paid staff and volunteers) will also respond in different ways. Read more in ‘Managing wellbeing‘.
What organisations or groups are involved?
Who might you need to engage with? What relationships might you need to manage? How might these change over time?
Those you might need to consider could include:
- Blue light services and other emergency responders, such as Fire & Rescue, Coastguard, Police, Ambulance, NHS crisis
- Voluntary services, such as British Red Cross, Royal Voluntary Service, St John Ambulance, Royal National Lifeboat Institution
- Emergency planning and response decision-makers, sometimes called “Gold Command”. The local authority of the area impacted by an event will usually lead an emergency planning or disaster response. The local authority will also usually be the lead agency for humanitarian assistance, even if it is not leading the overall response. The terms ‘welfare response’ and ‘psychosocial support’ may also be used.
- Your governing/parent organisation
- Colleagues in your organisation working in external communications, customer service points, branch or community libraries
- Other cultural and heritage organisations including voluntary groups
- Print or broadcast media
You may find it helpful to map all the people and organisations involved, and regularly revisit this stakeholder map during your rapid response collecting. The Government Analysis Function has produced templates and information about stakeholder mapping. Featured case study: Lancaster University.
Remember that people directly involved in an event, and bereaved people, will have Family Liaison Officers (FLOs). You will usually communicate with them through a FLO. Featured case study: West Sussex Record Office.