Preservation Teams Return To Kentucky To Show April Storm Survivors How To Salvage Family Treasures

FRANKFORT, Ky. – As Kentucky households recover from the April severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides, FEMA’s preservation teams will return to Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in the Commonwealth to demonstrate how to safely handle and salvage your damaged items. These specialists will show you how to salvage storm-damaged family photos, artwork, textiles, media and other family treasures.

Save Your Treasures Program Schedule

Preservation Teams will be in Kentucky Disaster Recovery Centers May 5-17. You can find the teams at the following:

FRANKLIN COUNTY Frankfort Plaza, 827 Louisville Road, Frankfort, KY 40601 

Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 5-10 and 12-17.

ANDERSON COUNTY Anderson County Community Center, 1026 County Park Road, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342

Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 5-6 and 9-10.

Watch for additional locations for the week of May 12-17.

The Save Your Family Treasures program is a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and FEMA. Specialists visit DRCs and provide advice to disaster survivors on how to salvage their personal keepsakes, including photographs, books, documents, textiles and other commonly damaged items. They provide demonstrations, hand out informational resources, and give technical assistance to visitors. If you are unable to attend an in-person demonstration, you can learn more about salvaging family treasures by visiting www.fema.gov/disaster/recover/save-family-treasures or culturalrescue.si.edu/who-we-are/hentf.

For safety reasons, and to ensure the items don’t suffer further damage in transit, survivors should not bring items to the DRC. Survivors are encouraged to show a photo or describe the items they want to salvage. The FEMA specialists will have example items to demonstrate the salvage techniques that are applicable to their items. 

Survivors can also visit a recovery center to apply for FEMA assistance, receive referrals to other assistance that may be available and much more. To find the nearest center, visit www.fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362

You do not need to visit a center to apply for FEMA assistance. There are other ways to apply: online at DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service.

For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4860 and www.fema.gov/disaster/4864. Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x.com/femaregion4.