Wet-records response is time-sensitive, but speed does not justify unsafe entry or one treatment for every material. Volume, contamination, format, value, available space, and the ability to begin controlled drying determine the first recovery decision.
\nThe U.S. National Archives and Records Administration provides emergency-salvage guidance for wet books and records. NARA states that small quantities may be air-dried in a cool, dry area with good air circulation. It cautions against high heat and direct sunlight, which can cause additional damage.
\nFor quantities too large to handle within 48 hours, NARA advises freezing the materials for later drying or referring them to a professional recovery service. The page identifies exceptions and special handling concerns for some photographic and other materials and recommends professional help for valuable records. These are triage principles, not a substitute for format-specific conservation advice or hazardous-material response.
\nFlood or suppression water can contain sewage, chemicals, mold, debris, or electrical hazards. Emergency authorities and qualified safety personnel must approve entry and working conditions. Coated paper, photographs, magnetic media, optical media, parchment, audiovisual collections, bound volumes, and records with running inks can respond differently. Privacy, chain of custody, evidentiary needs, insurance, and legal holds continue during salvage. Untrained treatment can make damage irreversible.
\nActivate the records-emergency plan and establish life-safety, incident-command, facilities, records, conservation, legal, privacy, and insurance roles. Stop the water source only when authorized and safe. Photograph and log conditions before moving materials when time permits. Separate affected from dry collections without spreading contamination, and triage by material and approved priority rather than apparent appearance alone.
\nAir dry only a manageable small quantity under conditions consistent with current NARA and professional guidance. Do not apply heat or sunlight. If the volume cannot be handled inside the practical window, arrange supported freezing or professional recovery promptly. Keep special-format materials segregated and obtain expert direction. Use boxes, labels, manifests, and location tracking so the response does not destroy intellectual control. Protect workers with safety measures appropriate to the hazard.
\nKeep safety clearance, incident photographs, collection and box manifests, material classification, exposure and action timestamps, vendor instructions, custody records, environmental readings, treatment decisions, insurance communications, and disposition approvals. After stabilization, verify readability and completeness with records owners and document missing or damaged items. Update supplies, vendor capacity, priorities, and the offline response plan from lessons learned.
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