03/16/2026
"DISASTER RESPONSE FOR HISTORICAL / CULTURAL SITES: LESSONS LEARNED"
Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 2:30 - 4:00 PM
National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force
175 Bourne Ave., Pooler, GA (Off I-95 Exit 102, US80)
FREE, but Registration required here:
DISASTER RESPONSE FOR HISTORICAL/CULTURAL SITES: LESSONS LEARNED
DISASTER RESPONSE FOR HISTORICAL/CULTURAL SITES: LESSONS LEARNED
Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 2:30 - 4:00 PM National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force 175 Bourne Ave., Pooler,...
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
________________________________________________
"HISTORY AND HURRICANES: HOW TO SAVE ARTIFACTS AND ARTS IN A DISASTER"
Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
One-Hour Afternoon Breakout Session during the 2026 Chatham County Hurricane Conference
Savannah Convention Center, 1 International Dr., Hutchinson Island
COST: $85, which includes, keynote presentation, 5 choices from 20-25 breakout
sessions, Continental Breakfast, Full Buffet Lunch, and
Cookies-and-Beverages Afternoon Break.
ATTN: Cultural Heritage Attendees. Let's sit together for the Opening Session,
Keynote Presentation, and Lunch.
Look for the Cultural Heritage signs on the tables.
Registration Required Here:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/z4gpruu/lp/4b995dbf-b0f0-44d9-92bb-1017f174a12d
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, March 20, 2026
_____________________________________________
PRESENTER: JARED YAX
Mr. Yax is a FAIC/AIC National Heritage Responder (NHR) and a cultural heritage emergency response consultant, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is a graduate of the Smithsonian's Heritage Emergency and Response Training (HEART) and has become a course advisor and contract instructor with both the HEART program and the Smithsonian's Cultural Rescue Initiative. He has 20+ years of museum curatorial experience and 14 years of experience as a firefighter/medical first responder. During his emergency responder career, he has received certifications in ICS 100, 200, 300, 400, NIMS/IS 700 and 800, Fire Instructor 1, Fire Officer 1 and 2, Incident Safety Officer, Hazmat Operations, and the Blue Card Incident Commander Program. In May 2020, he served as Incident Commander for two institutions after catastrophic flooding in Midland, MIchigan, during which he managed over 400 volunteers in the evacuation of more than 13,000 damaged objects. He is a graduate of Grand Valley State University, where his studies included History, Archaeology, and the German language. As an all-hazards responder, he has responded / consulted for cultural emergencies in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Virginia.
_______________________________________________________
PROGRAM CONTENT: 4/7/2026
"Disaster Response for Historical / Cultural Sites: Lessons Learned"
Plans are for a 1.5-hour session, with one hour of presentation, followed by a half-hour Q&A session, during which Mr. Yax hopes to have much interaction with attendees. He will share slides of disasters to which he has responded, with commentary about the diverse emergency considerations and challenges presented by each, and will relate these to the key best practices guidance that is taught and recommended in the Smithsonian's HEART program. His presentation will emphasize cultural heritage and fire/emergency management coordination and include guidance on 360-degree safety assessments upon initial access to facilities and collections following disaster damage. He will liken cultural heritage disasters to mass casualty incidents in complexity and scale and will draw attention to the overwhelming magnitude of detailed information, documentation, recordkeeping, and reporting associated with cultural heritage disasters.
________________________________________________________
PROGRAM CONTENT: 4/8/2026
"History and Hurricanes: How to Save Artifacts and Arts in a Disaster"
There are more museums in the United States than there are McDonald's restaurants. With 35,000 museums and cultural heritage sites throughout the country, nearly every community has at least one site where artifacts will be at risk during emergencies. It is critical that first responders are able to provide the proper assistance to these institutions in time of crisis. Each of these establishments houses a wealth of unique and often irreplaceable historical artifacts, art, archives, and local culture that would be lost forever if destroyed in a disaster. It is essential to have specialized response plans and training in place to safeguard and maintain these items during emergency situations. Responders to these institutions must also familiarize themselves with the various risks and hazards associated with museum collections. Particpants will be introduced to techniques on how emergency responders and cultural heritage professionals can collaborate effectively to evacuate and protect vulnerable collections during a disaster. This session will address the use of the Incident Command System (ICS), adapted for cultural heritage emergency response, to efficiently and effectively manage time, personnel, and resources required for these intricate operations. Attendees will acquire specialized response strategies to implement within your command and control framework to assist in accounting for, triaging, packaging, and evacuating all kinds of cultural objects. The concluding discussion will address the resources and training available to support these specialized preservation efforts.
_________________________________________________________________
CEMA's 2026 Chatham County Hurricane Conference
All Hands on Deck: Navigating Toward Disaster Readiness! will be a full-day conference of about 500 attendees representing the full complement of our, and any community's Emergency Support Functions (ESFs). The conference will include a keynote presentation and will offer 20-25 one-hour breakout sessions on specialized topics, with each attendee allowed to choose a maximum of 5.
The keynote speakers will be Ryan Cole, Assistant Director, and Bradley Collins, Emergency Management Specialist, both with Buncombe County, NC, Emergency Services, who were involved with the Hurricane Helene disaster responses in the Asheville, NC area in 2025. Their presentation will examine how cascading hazards prompted local emergency management to initiate innovative resiliency projects and has transformed recovery operations for communities and responders alike. Drawing from real-time operational experience, this presentation walks through the Helene response from initial activation through long-term recovery, highlighting the challenges of transitioning from hurricane operations into geotechnical instability, debris-choked terrain, and future alert and warning projects. Their keynote will offer a candid look at why hurricanes are now often only the beginning and how emergency management must prepare for disasters within the disaster.
For more information about the 2026 Chatham County Hurricane Conference, please contact Florence Culbreth, Conference Organizer, at 912-201-4500, or email her at [email protected].
Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) is proud to host the annual Chatham County Hurricane Conference on April 8, 2026. This is a great opportunity to discuss changes within our community, the world of emergency management, and the effects of recent hurricanes. We look forward to connecting wit...
