Fire risk mitigation- ICCROM workshop

PREVENT: Mitigating Fire Risk for Heritage is an online course on fire risk mitigation for cultural heritage from ICCROM* starting 15 November. (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) Fires, natural or manmade, continue to ravage cultural heritage and are a constant threat, even for the most well-maintained sites and institutions. The 5-day-course will cover source, risk, prevention and mitigation of fire, followed by implementation projects of participants. Apply online by 20 September!

Every summer, fires dominate the news worldwide, with wildfires becoming more and more common. Cultural heritage is not exempt from those risks, as it is everywhere. The 2019 Notre Dame fire was devastating and haunting, as I could see the monstrous smoke from my window 5 km away, making the threat all too real.

The ICCROM workshop plans to prepare professionals and stakeholders around cultural heritage assets in theory and practice to prevent and protect. Risk prevention specialists, firefighters and experts will present:

• Sources of fire

• ICCROM surveys • Risks and scenarios • Preventive solutions • Mitigation measures • New technologies

The course is for “heritage professionals, fire risk prevention specialists, fire fighters, civil protection personnel, volunteers and those working in the insurance sector.” After the workshop follows a 5-month participant follow-up project, thus proposals require a site or institution to improve. Furthermore, participants with collaborations of their local fire risk professionals will have priority.

ICCROM’s course is a hands-on program that aims at sharing vital information for the well-being of heritage and communities.