National Archives and Records Service film-vault fire at Suitland, Md. : hearings before a subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations, House of Representatives, Ninety-sixth Congress, first session, June 19 and 21, 1979 (1979)

67 Mr. Kindness. Do they contain any specific ways of going about cooperating witli local fire officials, fire safety standards and inspections and the preparation or the possibility of firefighting actually having to occur on Federal facilities ? Dr. Rhoads. I recall that in those procedures, there is a section relating to fire, but I think Mr. ISIoore or Mr. IMurphy could answer that more specifically. Mr. Murphy. The procedures for the nitrate vaults include a section on what to do in case of a fire. There are provisions for vacating the building, for reporting fire, and going to a safe distance. There are no provisions in the procedures about setting up a prefire plan with the Prince Georges County Fire Department. ]Mr. Kindness. Would it be desirable to review those procedures from the standpoint of all facilities that might be similarly involved, not only with respect to nitrate film, but with regard to paper documents which are also subject to potential losses? I am talking in terms of getting a more regularized way of assuring that" there would be cooperation with local fire officials. Dr. Rhoads. Yes. I think it is correct that we have a fairly close liaison with local fire departments in most of our facilities. The Federal Records Center is very conscious of the possible hazards of fire there. It is my impression, although I cannot speak out of detailed personal knowledge, that in each of those facilities we do indeed have a close relationship with the local fire departments. I think that is essential. INIr. Kindness. People do forget. So, would it perhaps be desirable to have something in the written standards or procedures? Dr. Rhoads. That is an excellent idea. If we do not have it in there, we will certainly seriously consider adding it. Mr. Kindness. Are any commercial facilities available at reasonable costs for the reproduction of nitrate film on safety film? Dr. Rhoads. We have explored the possibility of using commercial facilities without a great deal of success. Perhaps Mr. Landers can add some detail. ]\Ir. Landers. IMr. ISIoore has done most of the searching, and I think we have finally been able to find one firm in town which is able to handle this material. We had a couple of other suppliers out of town that did not turn out, from a quality point of view, to our satisfaction. We either have or almost have a contract with this firm. We will be sending them material as they can handle it. Grenerally speaking, it is difficult to find commercial firms that are interested in the business. Mr. Kindness. Is there anything special bv way of requirements relating to the transportation of film when it is going back and forth to the commercial processor that might pose a problem? Mr. Landers. It needs to be well taken care of. Mv impression is this. I am not an expert, but my impression is that as long as you are not crossing State lines, you do not get into the ICC requirements for having each can in a separate container. Mr. Kindness. Is there any other place where NARS stores film, nitrate or otherwise? Dr. Rhoads. We store a very small amount of nitrate occasionally in the National Archives building in intricately constructed vaults. We only bring in an amount equivalent to a single day's work to be copied in our lab in the Archives building.