First Aid and Rescue Work Wheel

Movable cultural heritage represents tangible evidence of the development of society and the world around us. It is a source of knowledge about history from the earliest times to the present day, shaping education and national identity. It contributes to economic prosperity and strengthens democracy and social resilience. The most extensive publicly accessible part of movable cultural heritage is stored in museums and galleries, which house millions of collection items, often of incalculable historical or artistic value (archaeological finds, paintings, sculptures, furniture, machines, cars, etc.). The primary mission of memory institutions is to preserve these witnesses to the past for current and future generations. However, years of successful care and storage can disappear in an instant during various extraordinary events and crisis situations, such as natural disasters, theft, vandalism, social unrest, or armed attacks. Given the current dynamic times and the constant threat of these risks, it is important to streamline effective strategies for the protection of cultural assets and improve the preparedness of responsible museum and gallery staff. For this reason, the Methodological Center for Conservation at the Technical Museum in Brno, in cooperation with the Czech Blue Shield Committee, the Czech Association of Museums and Galleries, and the Czech ICOM Committee, published a methodological aid entitled “First Aid and Rescue Work Wheel” at the end of 2025. This aid – the “Wheel” – provides simple and understandable instructions on how to proceed in the event of sudden danger, during rescue work, and immediate treatment of objects.

The previous editions of First Aid and Rescue Work Wheel from 2004 and 2014 were completely updated in the third edition in 2025 and supplemented with other identified risks, including general principles of cooperation with the Integrated Rescue System. The first part of the guide summarizes how to behave and proceed in the event of theft, fire, flood, vandalism, dangerous behavior, terrorist attack, social unrest, earthquake, damage to objects during transport, armed conflict, and evacuation of collection items in order to minimize the risk to them. The second part contains characteristics of the most common type of damage to objects, namely contact with water. It details the manifestations of damage, general principles for organizing rescue work, and the restoration of individual materials and types of objects.

The unusual format of the printout, in the shape of a movable wheel, provides users (museum and gallery employees in management positions, collection curators, depository administrators, conservators-restorers, and other staff) with a clear and quick overview of the individual segments of the issue in question. The aid can also be used as a warning guide with important contact numbers and information, which should be easily accessible and visible in the workplaces of the users concerned. The first aid and rescue wheel was published in a print run of 3,000 copies. Copies will be distributed to member organizations of the Association of Museums and Galleries of the Czech Republic and will also be used in various museum courses and training events.

Published by: Methodological Center for Conservation at the Technical Museum in Brno for the Czech Blue Shield Committee in 2025
Authors: A. Selucká – I. Štěpánek – P. Stöhrová (eds.) and P. Jirásek, J. Josef, I. Kopecká, M. Mrázek
The First Aid and Rescue Work Wheel was published with financial support from the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and with the support of the Czech Committee of ICOM.