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GETTY CENTER WELL-FORTIFIED AGAINST WILDFIRESWe recently discussed having an evacuation plan for collections in the event of a natural disaster such as an approaching flood or fire. Like many of us I'm sure, I was concerned to hear this week of the Getty Fire raging near the Getty Center in Los Angeles, home to countless priceless works of art and antiquity. An article in Art Daily addresses the concerns with an interesting description of the Center's construction and safety measures. -Editor
On Monday morning, security guards listened in to alarming calls between firefighters. A fire had broken out extremely close to the building. The "Getty Fire" grew quickly within a few hours, forcing stars such as LeBron James and Arnold Schwarzenegger to evacuate their homes in nearby, exclusive residential areas. Despite the flames -- which spread over 300 hectares -- and the smoke, authorities said they never considered moving any of the 125,000 artworks and 1.4 million documents that comprise the museum's unique collection. "Our art is incredibly secure," communications vice-president Lisa Lapin told AFP. "The Getty was constructed to house valuable art and keep it very safe from fires, from earthquakes, from any type of damage." "We are really built like a beautiful fortress and everything inside is quite safe," she added. Architect Richard Meier built the center two decades ago, at a cost of $1 billion. As well as the museum, it houses a research hub and a foundation with around 1,000 employees. The building is constructed of fire-resistant travertine stone, as well as cement and steel. Its roofs are covered with crushed stone to prevent embers igniting, and even in the gardens, resilient plants were chosen. Inside, the galleries can be separated off with a vault-like double door that is practically impenetrable. Ventilation system
The building's ventilation system switched to an internal recycling system, similar to those found in cars, preventing smoke from entering rooms from the outside. The Getty is currently hosting a special exhibition of works by Edouard Manet. Lapin said some art owners had contacted the museum expressing concern about the fire, but were quickly informed about the building's fireproof structure, made up of 300,000 travertine blocks and 12,500 tons of steel bars. Monday's blaze is not the first to skirt the building. Two years ago, the "Skirball Fire" -- named for its proximity to another nearby cultural center -- triggered the same safety measures, although it only affected the far side of an adjacent freeway. To read the complete article, see:
The rest of us, of course, don't have a billion dollars to spend constructing a disaster-proof fortress. If you haven't already read it, please see the earlier article by Harry Rinker. -Editor To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
 Wayne Homren, Editor The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org. To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum All Rights Reserved. NBS Home Page Contact the NBS webmaster 
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