Mallorca archive disaster drill tests rescue plans

Mallorca tests a plan to protect its cultural heritage on Wednesday: firefighters and a military emergency unit join a disaster drill at the Archive of the Kingdom of Mallorca in Palma, Mallorca. The archive has drawn up a plan to safeguard its most valuable holdings and will practise working with emergency teams. The exercise follows talks organised this week by the Balearic School of Public Administration for cultural specialists and emergency workers.

In a real emergency, a plan to protect people comes first. Only then does the plan for cultural property take effect. It sets out how to protect an institution’s most valuable holdings and includes everyday prevention and planning.

On Monday and Tuesday, specialists discuss how to fit heritage protection into civil protection procedures. Plans used by the Museum of Menorca and the National Art Museum of Catalonia are among the examples. Organisers hope the training will prompt more cultural institutions to prepare for natural disasters, fires and weather emergencies.

Wednesday’s drill brings together the Balearic culture and emergency authorities, firefighters from Palma and Mallorca, and the Military Emergency Unit. For future emergencies, a historic heritage representative has a permanent seat in the Balearic emergency authorities’ operational coordination centre, giving response teams a direct link to heritage specialists.

Topics: Culture · Missing & rescue · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com