During an emergency response, local administration and/or Local Emergency Management Team (LEMT) is responsible for:

• Public safety and life safety decisions
• Security
• Facilities management
• Business continuity plan
• External communication with the press, the public, and the rest of Harvard
• Budget authority to pay for salvage supplies, recovery vendors, contractors, and staff overtime
• Insurance claim management
• Collection management to determine collection priorities and documentation protocol
• Authorization to engage the Library Collections Emergency Team (LCET)
• Procuring space for salvage activities and granting access to salvage team members
• Providing an on-site Recorder; recruiting local staff assistance and volunteers as needed

LCET provides:

• Focus on stabilizing collections and preventing further damage (response)
• Format-specific expertise in salvage of collections (planning for recovery)
• On-site support as required by the situation
• Advice on stabilization of the indoor environment (temperature, humidity, air quality)
• Advice on choice of recovery vendors
• Documentation support, if needed
• Liaison between local leadership and HL leadership, if needed
• Transition to Preservation Services staff for recovery phase