I N
CIVIL DEFENSE
FEDERAL FCW CIVIL DEFENSE ADMINISTRATION
United States Government Printing Office : June 1952
UNITED STATES CIVIL DEFENSE
WOMEN IN CIVIL
DEFENSE
VM-2
FEDERAL CIVIL DEFENSE ADMINISTRATION
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office
Washington 25, D. C. - Price 15 cents
II
CONTENTS
• Page
Civil Defense Begins at Home 1
Family Civil Defense 4
Attack warning 4
Setting up a home shelter 4
First aid and home nursing 5
Fire prevention and fire fighting 5
Identification tags 6
ABC warfare 6
Utilities 7
Home drills „ 7
Working with others 7
How You Can Help Your Community Prepare 8
The warden service : 8
Communications ' 9
Health services 12
Emergency welfare services 12
Transportation services 15
Police services 15
Supply service ■ 15
Fire, rescue, and engineering services 16
Training 16
Public information 17
Civil defense organization 17
How Women's Organizations Can Help 18
Things to do 18
Presenting the plan 19
1
The home is the basic unit of the community—and the basic unit
on which defense of the home front must be built.
Whether you are a housewife, secretary, business executive, or
nurse, civil defense looks to you, as a woman, to take an active role
in protecting your home. No one else can do that job for you.
Your first duty in civil defense is to act at once to educate your
family in self-protection against modern weapons, and to make
your home as safe as possible against the dangers of enemy attack.
Your second duty is to participate in your community civil de-
fense organization. There must be a basic civil defense organiza-
tion in each community in the United States, regardless of size or
location. Without fully organized communities, there can be no
adequate national civil defense program.
If your community does not have an active civil defense organi-
zation, much of the blame must fall on you and your neighbors.
Unless you, as a responsible American woman, take action you are
gambling with the safety of your family, your friends, your com-
munity, and your country.
You would hardly blame others for failing to provide food, cloth-
ing, and shelter for your family. That is your family responsi-
bility. And so is family civil defense. Community civil defense
can be effective only if the families of the community are solidly
behind it, willing to give time and effort to make it work. Na-
tional civil defense can be only as effective as the people of the
Nation make it.
Civil defense is here to stay. We will need it just as long as we
need a strong military force. Without civil defense, no military
force can win a major war.
This fact was recognized by Secretary of Defense Robert Lovett
when he said that "civil defense is a co-equal partner" of the mili-
tary forces.
In these days of atomic, biological, and chemical weapons carried
by bombers, submarines, and agents, no part of America is beyond
the reach of an enemy. What's more, we cannot prevent attack.
General Vandenberg of the Air Force has said repeatedly that the
2
best our anti-aircraft and interceptors will be able to do is to knock
down 30 percent of attacking planes. Seven out of ten enemy
planes will get through.
If this comes as a surprise, remember that our own air raids
on Germany during the last war lost less, on the average, than one
out of ten planes. No enemy ever knocked down as much as 30
percent of our planes in any raid we ever made. This was true
even over Berlin, Hamburg, or Schweinfurt.
Furthermore, an enemy would strike at our cities and our people
first. This is true because our two greatest strengths are the
civilian will to fight and to produce the sinews of war. To win
a war, military forces must have a constant pipeline of supplies
flowing to the fighting fronts. Civilians produce the things the
military forces need. If our people, farms, and factories are
destroyed, the military forces will soon have no supplies with
which to fight.
And remember that American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and
marines are fighting for the people at home. If the home front
crumples behind them, they not only have nothing to fight tvith,
they have nothing to fight for.
That's why civil defense is just as important as a strong military
force and why civil defense is important to every community and
person in America.
Not every community will be attacked. But those that are at-
tacked cannot hope to take care of themselves without help. The
help must come from the organized civil defense forces of com-
munities and States which are not attacked. That's why all com-
munities must be organized.
To do the job, over 17 million hard-working, well-trained volun-
teers are needed. Your community needs volunteers now and for
years to come.
The greater percentage of these volunteers will be women like
you.
At least 60 percent of civil defense volunteers must be women
serving in hundreds of specialized civil defense jobs. Many vol-
unteer jobs can be filled by you and your friends right now, with
only a little training.
When you have trained your family and prepared your home, you
have more than doubled your chances for survival in an atomic
attack.
When you have joined in organizing your community, you have
given the community and the Nation a far better chance to survive
an enemy attack.
3
But you will have done more than just prepare in case of war—
you will have made a positive contribution to keeping the peace.
An unprepared nation invites attack. A nation without civil
defense is unprepared.
A strong civil defense preparedness program, like a strong mili-
tary preparedness program, is not just a shield but a sword.
Adequate civil defense preparedness can actually help hold the
enemy at bay. If the enemy knows that he can demoralize us by
an all-out attack on the home-front; if he knows that we are not
prepared for it; if he knows that our civil defense system is ill-
manned, ill-trained, and ill-equipped—this is a direct invitation to
launch such an attack on our people and on our cities.
But, if Russia knows that millions of American men and women
are well trained and organized and ready to move into action when
the attack comes; if Russia knows that we have thousands of
trained rescue squads and tens of thousands of wardens and mil-
lions of American families trained in first aid and self-protection;
if Russia knows that we have this kind of adequate civil defense
preparedness which would save at least half the American lives
that might otherwise be lost—then Russia, or any other enemy,
will think long and hard before launching an attack on this country.
The stronger we are in America in civil defense, the more Rus-
sian atomic bombs it will take to do the damage to our cities and
people that the enemy must inflict in order to win a war.
Thus, a strong national civil defense program actually cuts down
sharply the effectiveness of the enemy's stockpile of atomic bombs
and his stockpile of other modern weapons.
Said quite simply, a strong American civil defense program
forces Russia to use two atomic bombs instead of one, thus reduc-
ing the size and effectiveness of the Russian stockpile.
A strong civil defense stands side by side with our armed forces
as a major deterrent to enemy attack on our own country. This
makes civil defense a major force in helping keep the peace and in
preventing World War III.
There is another value in civil defense which is becoming more
apparent by the day—its peacetime use in natural disasters.
There have been many recent instances where the organization
and training for civil defense in wartime have paid great dividends
in meeting peacetime disasters; most all of the training you get
in civil defense is useful in saving lives in peacetime too.
Getting America prepared on the home front is a responsibility
that falls in large part on the shoulders of all American women.
It's your job—and you have no time to waste.
4
FAMILY CIVIL DEFENSE
Here are the simple steps you should take now to prepare your
home and family against enemy attack:
1. Learn the civil defense air-raid alert signals.
2. Equip the most protected place you can find in or near your
home for an air-raid shelter.
3. Learn the effects of an atomic explosion and the safety pre-
cautions you can take at home or at work to minimize danger and
injury.
4. Prepare an emergency first-aid kit for your home.
5. Take a regular Red Cross first-aid or home nursing course
as soon as you can.
6. Practice fire-proof housekeeping. Learn to fight fires in the
home.
7. Get official civil defense identification tags for yourself and
family, if available.
8. Learn the simple safety measures you and your family must
take to protect yourself against germ and gas warfare.
9. Maintain a three-day supply of food and adequate water for
use in an emergency.
ATTACK WARNING
Everyone must recognize the local attack-warning signal imme-
diately and respond in an orderly manner according to plan.
The civil defense air-raid alert card should be posted conspicu-
ously in your home, and you and the family should memorize the
information on it. (See page 13.) There are small pocket cards
to carry with you until you've memorized the instructions.
When your local civil defense office has established a gas-
alarm system, you should become familiar with it and know how
to protect yourself and family against gas attack. Ask your block
warden for information.
SETTING UP A HOME SHELTER
You should provide a shelter area for your family immediately.
In most houses, a portion of the basement is the best available area.
5
A suitable shelter space can be set up with little or no construction
or expense. Before selecting your shelter area, ask the advice of
your local civil defense warden. He can pass on to you technical
advice from the local civil defense engineering services.
In selecting and preparing your shelter, follow these general
principles:
1. There should be minimum danger from flying glass, falling
beams, and debris.
2. There should be two outside exits on different sides of your
shelter area. If there are not, take every precaution against the
possibility of debris blocking the single exit. The shelter should
be well ventilated.
3. The shelter should be stocked with a three-day supply of water
and canned food in sealed containers, first-aid supplies (see
page 14), a flashlight with extra batteries, and other emergency
necessities.
If you live in a place other than your own home, find out the
location of the nearest shelter area.
FIRST AID AND HOME NURSING
Everyone should take the Red Cross standard first-aid course.
In addition to its value as a civil defense self protection measure,
a knowledge of first aid is especially important for housewives,
because of the many accidents that occur at home. Training you
can receive in a Red Cross home nursing course is also very valu-
able, as it teaches you to recognize symptoms of illness and to carry
out the physician's orders. Check with your local Red Cross or
civil defense organization to find out where you may take these
courses.
Simple emergency steps everyone should know for action in case
of burns, shock, bleeding, and broken bones will be found in the
booklet Emergency Action To Save Lives. 1
FIRE PREVENTION AND FIRE FIGHTING
Fire is one of the greatest dangers from enemy air attack. Start
today to prepare your home against this danger. Firemen say
"a clean building seldom burns." Trash piles, rubbish, or stored
odds and ends that accumulate around the home increase the dan-
ger of fire. Good housekeeping is the first line of defense against
fire. (See pages 10 and 11.)
If an enemy bombing attack is made on your city, it will
1 See Booklets You Should Have, inside back cover.
6
start more fires than the fire department can handle. Fighting
fires in the home or neighborhood will be up to each family; if
such fires are not put out, they can join to burn up whole areas.
Thus a knowledge of fire-fighting techniques in the home is a neces-
sity. You should know what tools to have and how to use them.
(For more information read Fire Fighting for Householders.) 1
IDENTIFICATION TAGS
You should get identification tags for each member of your
family from the local civil defense authorities.
ABC WARFARE
Three main types of warfare against which we must prepare
are atomic, biological, and chemical—"ABC warfare."
Atomic
Three main dangers from an atomic bomb burst, in order
of their importance, are: fire, blast, and radiation. Fire may be
caused by heat from the burst or from secondary causes such as
disruption of electrical, gas, or heating utilities. Blast causes par-
tial or complete demolition of structures. The chief dangers from
radiation exist only in the immediate area of the burst for a minute
and a half, if the bomb goes off in the air. Airborne radioactive
dust and mist can be dangerous in case of surface, underwater,
or underground bursts.
You should know the rules for survival against atomic attack.
In case you cannot reach shelter:
1. Try to get shielded.
2. Drop flat on the ground or floor.
3. Bury your face in your arms.
In cases where you do reach shelter:
1. Don't rush outside right after a bombing.
2. Don't take chances with food or water in open containers.
3. Don't panic and do not listen to or repeat rumors.
If you have children, get them copies of Duck and Cover, 1 the
FCD A Bert the Turtle picture book which teaches them graphically
the first rules for protection against atomic attack.
Biological
Biological or germ warfare is the use of disease-producing germs
to contaminate sources of food (both plant and animal) and drink-
ing water, and affect the health of people.
Learn the rules for survival against biological warfare: ~
1 See Booklets You Should Have, inside back cover.
1. Keep yourself and your home clean.
2. Report sickness promptly to your doctor.
3. Cooperate with local health authorities.
4. Don't rush outside right after an attack.
5. Don't take chances with food and water in open containers.
(Read the FCDA booklets Survival Under Atomic Attack, and
What You Should Know About Biological Warfare.) 1
Chemical
Three gases most likely to be used in chemical warfare are
nerve, blister, and choking (or lung) gases. The newest and
most powerful are the so-called nerve gases. These cause con-
vulsions and paralysis. Mustard gas is the best known type of
blister gas. Blisters caused by these gases show up two or more
hours after exposure. Any strange fluid appearing on the skin
or clothes after an attack should be removed by dabbing with
rags soaked in kerosene or alcohol. Choking gases, such as
phosgene, act chiefly on the lungs.
UTILITIES
General rules about shutting off utilities in the home in an emer-
gency vary in different localities. Get these rules either from
the utility companies or your local warden.
HOME DRILLS
Once you and the family have a basic knowledge of self-protec-
tion, you should hold air-raid drills and practice fire-fighting tech-
niques. Give each member of the family a task in keeping with
age and physical capabilities. Alternate duties as much as
possible so that all members of the family are familiar with each
air-raid and fire-fighting task. Hold drills frequently so that re-
sponses to emergency situations become automatic.
WORKING WITH OTHERS
The principle of neighborhood groups working together in civil
defense is one of the most important parts of the program. You
can help in your community by urging your neighbors to learn all
about ciyil defense, by participating in neighborhood civil defense
activities, and by volunteering for the local organization.
1 See Booklets You Should Have, inside back cover.
991806°—52 2
7
8
American tradition is that neighbors help each other in emer-
gencies. Teamwork on a block-by-block basis is the key for com-
munity survival today. Neighbors must be organized and prepared
to overcome as much as possible the effects of enemy attack.
Communities should be organized so that if you were to need help
in your home after an attack, the warden would be the first on the
scene to help you. Wardens are the first line of organized civil
defense throughout the country and are the link between you and
community civil defense services.
THE WARDEN SERVICE
In a residential neighborhood the head of a warden unit is known
as the Block Warden. Chances are, the warden will be a house-
wife, a volunteer trained in warden techniques and operations.
She will have a staff of assistants—a fire warden, a rescue warden,
a first-aid warden, an evacuation warden, and a communications
warden. All wardens will have neighborhood groups to help carry
out their assigned duties. For example, the first-aid warden may
have a group of six persons trained in first-aid methods and
equipped to treat injuries and save lives.
If disaster should strike your city, the block warden would quickly
survey the assigned area to see what damage was done and what
help was needed. The warden assistants and groups would go into
action on assigned jobs. A report would be made to the local con-
trol center by the Communications Warden and by the staff of
Telephone Operators, Radio Operators, and Messengers.
A Fire Warden and neighborhood group would put out the small
fires and try to control large ones. If small fires are not put out,
mass fires may result. The group would use fire extinguishers,
garden hose, sand and dirt, and improvised equipment.
A Rescue Warden group would search the more seriously dam-
aged buildings in the neighborhood for trapped casualties. Mem-
bers of this group, including physically capable women, would
9
search damaged buildings, provide first aid when necessary, and
remove casualties. They would know how to use ladders, ropes,
and stretchers, and how to improvise household tools and equipment
for light rescue work. Dangerous or difficult rescue work would
be done by the civil defense rescue service.
Many persons would need first-aid treatment following an attack.
Generally all members of a warden unit will have standard first-aid
training. Members of the warden first-aid group will have ad-
vanced training. Under leadership of a First-aid Warden, the
first-aid group provides on-the-spot assistance to injured persons.
Should evacuation be ordered, an Evacuation Warden and mem-
bers of her group are responsible for assisting in this activity.
They will know who should leave the neighborhood, and assist in
directing these people to assembly areas. If no help is needed in
their neighborhood, these trained evacuation workers are prepared
to assist adjoining neighborhoods.
Modern warfare may result in great disaster in many local neigh-
borhoods. In some localities, the families and the warden units,
no matter how well prepared, would not be able to handle the
resulting damage. Wardens in such areas would request more
help. They would contact the District or Zone Wardens in the
control centers. These wardens direct all the warden units and
assist in directing other civil defense services groups in their areas.
In this way the technical and professional assistance needed for
survival is dispatched to a neighborhood.
The warden service can be staffed largely by women. You can
help in your community by volunteering for the type of duty for
which you are best qualified and in which you are most interested.
COMMUNICATIONS
Your block warden reports the situation in your neighborhood
through the district warden to the zone control center where re-
ports from every block and district are received. These reports
describe conditions in the various blocks of the zone and.
enable civil defense authorities to estimate the seriousness of the
situation. The help needed by your block must be dispatched by
the district warden or zone controller, who may have to serve
the needs of as many as 125,000 people during the emergency. In
the zone control center everything depends upon communications.
Many positions in civil defense communications can be filled
by women volunteers who are able to operate communications
equipment. The average zone control center requires about 124
10
REMOVE HOME FIRE HAZARDS
Chimney and roof in good condition?
Attic a junk pile?
Stairs or halls cluttered?
, Trash and rubbish
near your house?
Electrical circuits and
fixtures OK?
Is your basement a fire-hazard?
Open paint or oil cans?
Paint rags?
Shavings near work bench?
Fuel within 3 ft. of furnace?
Piled-up paper and rubbish?
11
THEN
when your house is cleared of fire hazards
assemble your fire-fighting tools
Buckets and shovels to fight magnesium bombs
A ladder in good condition
Sand and covered water buckets
throughout your house
TEAR OUT CENTER PAGES AND USE AS CHECK LIST
12
communications workers. Telephone Operators, Voice Radio
Operators, Teletypewriter Operators, and Message Clerks must
be trained and ready to keep messages flowing so that other civil
defense workers will know where their help is needed.
Communications workers also are needed at the main control
center where all civil defense efforts are centralized under
the leadership of the local civil defense director. In addition,
many more communications personnel will be working with each of
the various operating services to keep them in touch with the offi-
cials at the control centers.
HEALTH SERVICES
Civil defense health services are organized around existing
health agencies and the medical and related professions. The
demands upon professional personnel during an emergency will
far exceed their capacity to treat every casualty. They must have
trained assistants. For this reason, the health services need many
volunteers to assist in giving medical aid to victims of enemy attack.
The program requires careful planning and training prior to an
emergency in order that action may be taken on a moment's notice.
In addition to the women who are professionally trained as
Doctors, Nurses, and Medical and Dental Technicians, many others
are needed to assist in the countless tasks related to the care and
treatment of casualties. First-Aid Teams need women trained in
first aid. Improvised and existing hospitals must be staffed with
many Nurse's Aides' to care for the hospitalized. Clerks, Attend-
ants, and Food Service Workers, are also necessary to perform the
many "housekeeping" tasks. Casualties not seriously injured and
others normally treated at home will require the attention of
women qualified as Home Nurses.
EMERGENCY WELFARE SERVICES
After an enemy attack many people will need food, clothing,
lodging, personal counseling, temporary rehabilitation aid, infor-
mation concerning casualties and missing or separated people, and
other types of emergency welfare assistance. Although the civil
defense welfare services are utilizing welfare agencies to the fullest
extent to provide these services, the size of the welfare program
requires many volunteer women. Many of the jobs require noth-
ing more than everyday skills and a willingness to help people in
distress.
13
1 OBEY these official Civil Defense
1
AIR RAID instructions
3 minute wailing siren
or short blasts
3 one-minute blasts
2 minutes silence between
Quickly
but Calmly
, with NO WARNING
With WARNING
at
HOME
Drop to floor. Get
under bed or heavy
table.
Go to prepared
shelter. Turn off all
appliances.
at
WORK
Drop to floor. Get
under desk or work
bench.
Obey Wardens.
Go to assigned
shelter.
at
SCHOOL
Drop to floor out
of line of windows.
Bury face in arms.
Obey your teacher.
Go to assigned
shelter quietly:
in the
OPEN
Drop to ground or
dive for cover. Bury
face in arms.
Obey Wardens. Go
to nearest OK 'd
building or shelter.
in
VEHICLES
Drop to floor. Bury
face in arms.
Get out. Go to
nearest OK'd build-
ing or shelter.
stay put until the all clear and obey instructions
14
SUGGESTED HOUSEHOLD FIRST-AID KIT
First aid item
Quantity
Substitute
Use
1. Antiseptic Solution
Benzalkonium Chloride
Solution. 1 to 1000 parts
of water.
2. Aromatic Spirits of
Ammonia.
3. Table Salt
4. Baking Soda.
9. Medium First Aid
Dressing 8 in. by 7K in.,
folded, sterile with gauze
enclosed cotton pads.
Packaged with muslin
bandage and 4 safety pins.
10. Small First Aid Dress-
ing 4 in by 7 in., folded,
sterile with gauze en-
closed cotton pads and
gauze bandage.
11. Paper Drinking Cups.
12. Eye Drops, Castor Oil.
13. Flashlight.
14. Safety Pins, 1K in.
long.
15. Razor Blades, Single
Edge.
16. Toilet Soap
17. Splints, Plastic,
Wooden, to H in.
thick, 3K in. wide by 12
to 15 in. long.
18. Tongue Blades,
Wooden.
19. Water Purification
Tablets.
20. Measuring Spoons.
3 to 0 oz. bot-
tie.
1 to 2 oz. bot-
tie.
5. Triangular Bandage
compressed. 37 x 37 x 52
in., folded, with 2 safety
pins.
6. Large Bath Towels
7. Small Bath Towels
8. Bed Sheet
1 box
8 to 10 oz. box.
4 bandages.
25 to 50.
K to 1 oz. bot-
tie with
dropper.
1
15
3
1 bar
12
12
Battle of 100-.
Organic mercurial com-
Bounds in water,
rug stores have them
under several trade
names.
None
Sodium chloride tablet,
10 grains
Sodium bicarbonate or
sodium citrate tablets,
5 grains.
Muslin or other strong
material. Fold to ex-
act dimensions. Wrap
each bandage and 2
safety pins separately
in paper.
None.
None.
None-
Must be bought.
Must be bought.
Envelope or cardboard
type.
Bland eye drops sold by
druggists under vari-
ious trade names.
Must be bought
None-
1 set.
Sharp knife or scissors.—
Any mild soap —
A 40-page newspaper
folded to dimensions,
pieces of orange crate
sidings, or shingles cut
to size.
Shingles, pieces of orange
crate, or other light
wood cut to approxi-
mately IK" x 6".
Iodine tablets; Chlorine
tablets: Chlorine cap-
sules sold under vari-
ous trade names.
Cheap plastic or metal...
For open wounds, scratches and
cuts. Not for burns.
For faintness, adult dose K tea-
spoonful in cup of water; children
5 to 10 drops in K glass of water.
As smelling salts hold bottle un-
der nose.
For shock —dissolve 1 teaspoonful
salt and K teaspoonful baking
soda in 1 qt. water. Have patient
drink as much as he will. Don't
give to unconscious person or
semiconscious person. If using
substitutes dissolve six 10-gr. so-
dium chloride tablets and six 5-gr
sodium bicarbonate (or sodium
citrate) tablets in 1 qt. water.
For some slight protection against
nerve gas— dissolve 4 teaspoonfuls
ofbakingsodainlqt. water. Wash
parts of body exposed to nerve gas
or saturate cloth and place over
face as gas mask.
For a sling; as a covering; for a
dressing.
For bandages or dressings: Old soft
towels and sheets arc best. Use as
bandages or dressings. Cut in
sizes necessary to cover wounds.
Towels are burn dressings. Place
over burns and fasten with tri-
angular bandage or strips of sheet.
Towels and sheets should be laun-
dered, ironed, and packaged in
heavy paper. Relaunder every 3
months.
For open wounds or for dry dress-
ings for burns. These are pack-
aged sterile. Don't try to make
your own.
For administering stimulants and
liquids.
For eyes irritated by dust, smoke or
fumes. Use 2 drops in each eye.
Apply cold compresses every 20
minutes if possible.
Electric lights may go out. Wrap
batteries in moisture proof cover-
ing. Don't keep in flashlight.
For holding bandages in place.
For cutting bandages and dress-
ings, or for removing clothing
from injured part.
For cleansing skin.
For splinting broken arms or legs.
For splinting broken fingers or
other small bones and for stirring
solution.
For purifying water when it can't be
boiled, but tap water officially
declared radioactive must not be
used for any purpose.
For measuring or'Stirring solutions.
15
Women are expected to provide much of the leadership for these
services. If you've had experience in Directing Welfare Activities,
Feeding Large Groups, Managing a Hotel or Lodging House, or
Handling Quantities of Clothing, you can be of great value to this
program. Each welfare function is a comprehensive program in
itself, requiring many volunteer workers in all types of welfare
activity. Women familiar with Social Work are needed in the
various phases of these programs. Other volunteers can serve
as Escorts, Receptionists, Cooks, Food Assistants, Clothing
Assistants, Registration and Information Clerks, Lodging Assist-
ants, Welfare Service Aides, Personal Counselors, Child Care
Aides, Typists, and Messengers.
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
Very little civil defense work can be accomplished during a dis-
aster without an efficient system for transporting people and mate-
rials to and from a stricken area. Every available automobile,
truck, bus, plane, and boat needed in this work may be pressed into
operation. Women operators may perform an important civil
defense task and at the same time relieve many men for the more
strenuous jobs not suitable for women. Women with experience
in the administrative phases of transportation work are needed to
provide the background support to keep these vehicles in operation.
Dispatchers, Routing Clerks, Shipping Clerks, Service Attendants,
Repair Mechanics, and other Transportation Assistants will be
needed in emergency operations.
POLICE SERVICES.
Civil defense police services are built around existing police
forces and include volunteer auxiliary police to cope with the many
additional emergency duties. Women trained in police methods
and techniques can be of great help to the police services.
Auxiliary Policewomen may perform such duties as guarding build-
ings, directing traffic, and doing administrative police work.
SUPPLY SERVICE
The civil defense supply service provides equipment and mate-
rials for the operating forces. The work involves inventorying,
warehousing, procuring, distributing, and accounting. If you are
experienced in supply work of any kind, you can be of considerable
value to the civil defense supply service. Procurement Officials,
Inventory Records Clerks, Shipping Clerks, Supply Checkers,
Accounting Clerks, and Packers are needed to volunteer for the
supply service.
16
FIRE, RESCUE, AND ENGINEERING SERVICES
The civil defense program provides for auxiliary fire-fighting
forces to combat the many fires likely to result from an enemy at-
tack. Unless you are already engaged in some supporting opera-
tion of your local fire department, it is unlikely that you will be
asked to participate in organized fire-fighting. The work is ex-
tremely strenuous and hazardous and requires considerable tech-
nical training. This is also true of the rescue service and the
engineering services. Rescue personnel are primarily concerned
with releasing and removing trapped persons from damaged and
demolished buildings. The engineering services are organized to
make repairs to utilities, clear streets of rubble, and reduce dangers
from damaged structures. Women engaged in some aspects of
public utilities, construction work, and other engineering activities
should volunteer to serve in the supporting work of the engineering
services. If your community is making a shelter survey, you can
help in making the survey and in tabulating results and preparing
reports.
TRAINING
The basic responsibility for training civil defense volunteers in
emergency duties is a State and community task. The job of or-
ganizing and conducting classes is done locally. Guidance and
some training materials are provided by the Federal government.
The training program offers unlimited opportunities for women.
The civil defense director in every State and community should be
assisted by a staff responsible for establishing and operating a
training and education program. In addition to Staff volunteers,
this program needs women as Class Organizers and Instructors.
These instructors generally should be experienced in teaching, and
should be trained in one of the technical civil defense subjects. If
you think you can be of service in this part of the civil defense
program, volunteer right away.
In most cases, your training responsibilities will not conflict
with other interests you may have in one of the civil defense tech-
nical services. For instance, you may be selected as a counselor
in the emergency welfare services because of your experience in
social work. While your community is developing its civil defense
program and training volunteers for specific jobs, you may also
serve as an instructor for other volunteers, reporting for duty with
the' emergency welfare services in case of disaster.
17
PUBLIC INFORMATION,
The tremendous task of informing the general public about civil
defense self-protection measures is a task for qualified information
specialists. Many information activities may be accomplished by
women. These include writing and editing publications material,
preparing news stories, scheduling and presenting motion pictures,
writing and producing radio and television shows, preparing
visual aids, writing and making speeches, and developing group
relations.
If you have experience in some phase of public relations or in-
formation work you should volunteer.
However, even though you may not be able to join the informa-
tion staff of your community civil defense organization you can
be an effective saleswoman for the civil defense program. Tell
your neighbors and friends about your work and get them in-
terested in learning self-protection. Tell them about the program,
the success of practice operations, the special courses available,
and other information to arouse their interest in civil defense.
You can be effective in convincing your neighbor that she needs
self-protection and that the community needs her participation.
CIVIL DEFENSE ORGANIZATION
Each community should have a Director of Civil Defense who is
responsible for planning and directing the operations of the civil
defense workers. Usually a director has a group of assistants
serving as heads of the civil defense services.
Just as families and neighborhoods may need emergency assist-
ance, so may cities. Many neighboring towns and cities have
already agreed to help each other in event of enemy attack. This
reciprocal help is known as "mutual aid."
Each State has a State Director of Civil Defense. He and his
staff plan and coordinate a civil defense program for all the people
and resources of the State.
The State director has plans to dispatch organized volunteer
help to attacked areas. This form of aid is known as "mobile
support."
National civil defense planning is the responsibility of the Fed-
eral Civil Defense Administration. Through its regional offices,
the agency,assists and guides the States in carrying out the organi-
zation and operation of the program, provides plans and materials,
and helps to arrange mutual aid plans between States when asked
to do so.
18
HOW WOMEN'S
ORGANIZATIONS CAN HELP
Mobilization of the resources of this country's organized groups
is essential to achiev.e the objective of 17 million volunteer work-
ers. The majority of women's organizations have national, State,
or local publications and programs. These are excellent for
developing civil defense activities. Through these news organs
millions of American women can learn something about self-pro-
tection for themselves and their families and about civil defense
generally.
Women's organizations also can contribute to the recruitment
of civil defense volunteers by asking their members to register as
ready and willing to participate. The jobs open to women in civil
defense cover every phase of the operation, ranging from child-care
aides in emergency welfare services to laboratory technicians in the
health services. Before women will volunteer for these jobs, how-
ever, they must appreciate the need for civil defense and under-
stand how it works. Here's how your organization can help.
THINGS TO DO
Since civil defense depends on the active support of every man,
woman, and child in this country, women's organizations should
familiarize their members with the various aspects of civil defense.
The organization members, once they have become informed, can
use their knowledge to interest friends and neighbors who may not
be club members. This knowledge will also help them to know
which civil defense service they might qualify for with training.
If you are a member of a women's organization, work for
the appointment of a civil defense chairman in your association.
Once this office has been established, a committee should be formed
to work with the chairman. Through the committee the following
action can be taken to implement the organization's civil defense
program:
,1. Adopt a resolution pledging the organization's active coopera-
tion with the local civil defense office.
2. Contact local civil defense authorities and offer the organi-
zation's support and cooperation.
19
3. Register all members as potential civil defense volunteers,
in cooperation with local civil defense officials.
4. Promote civil defense activities through forums, speeches,
the press, radio, television, motion pictures, direct mail, exhibits,
and individual contacts. These activities should be coordinated
with the operations of the local civil defense office.
5. Schedule at least five minutes at every organization meeting
in which to spotlight official civil defense activities.
6. Report progress regularly to the organization's members.
7. Set up a training program in cooperation with the local civil
defense office.
8. Publicize all club civil defense activities.
9. Launch your civil defense participation program at a public
gathering attended by representatives of the local civil defense
office. •
If your club or chapter is part of a regional or national organiza-
tion, contact headquarters. You probably will find—if you are not
already aware of it—that the national organization already has a
civil defense program and can supply material and guidance.
PRESENTING THE PLAN
Once the organization has gone on record in support of civil de-
fense, a program should be planned that will give State or local
leaders the opportunity to explain local civil defense plans to club
members. A suggested program follows:
Morning Session
Invocation.
Pledge to the flag.
Welcome by the Governor, Mayor, or other civic
official.
Statement by the State or local civil defense director.
Discussion:
Civil defense organization.
Civil defense plans. (Select subjects contained in
this booklet or from publications listed in the bibliog-
raphy at back. Select speakers who are specialists
in these subjects and arrange for a discussion period.
Such speakers may be furnished by the State or local
civil defense office.)'
Luncheon
Obtain a speaker who will attract a large audience.
20
Have persons who are experts in the various civil de-
fense operations at the speaker's table to talk
briefly on their specialties. These local civil de-
fense leaders should be introduced to members and
could be called upon for appropriate remarks.
Afternoon Session
Discuss pertinent civil defense subjects. This could
be done either through open discussion, panel presen-
tation, audio-visual means, individual speakers, or
any combination of these.
This program for presenting civil defense to organization mem-
bers can also be used to develop a community plan in cooperation
with other organizations such as churches, citizens' associations,
parent-teacher associations, labor, veterans, or other groups.
Once you have a civil defense program started, do all you can to
keep it going at a steady pace. Remember this is not a temporary
thing—your daughter will need a strong civil defense program,
too, when she is old enough to join your organization.
We pray that another war will be averted and that the free world
may have continuing peace. But we must back our prayers with
our own efforts.
The strength and courage of American women is one of the
Nation's greatest resources. If the women of this country will
prepare with courage and determination, we will have the civil
defense we need to be strong—and each woman who gives her time
and effort to.civil defense will be doing her part to keep the forces
of communism in check, to prepare us against attack, and to help
keep the peace.
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BOOKLETS YOU SHOULD HAVE
The following official FCDA booklets are on sale by the Super-
intendent of Documents, Washington 25, D. C.
1. Civil Defense Nursing Needs, Pub. VM-1, 1952, 15 cents,
17 pp. Outlines program for increasing nursing services to
ensure an adequate supply of nurse power in the event of attack
or disaster.
2. Duck and Cover, Pub. PA-6, 1951, 5 cents, 14 pp. Cartoon in-
struction for children on what to do in case of atomic attack.
3. Emergency Action To Save Lives, Pub. PA-5, 1951, 5 cents, 32
pp. Practical instructions for the untrained person on the
emergency care of injured people.
4. Fire Fighting for Householders, Pub. PA-4,1951, 5 cents, 32 pp.
Basic information for the householder on how fires start, how
they can be prevented, and how to fight a fire.
5. This Is Civil Defense, Pub. PA-3, 1951, 10 cents, 32 pp. High-
lights of the national civil defense program and the part the
volunteer must play to make civil defense a success.
6. Survival Under Atomic Attack, 1950, 10 cents, 32 pp. Tech-
niques of personal survival under atomic bomb attacks.
7. What You Should Know About Biological Warfare, Pub. PA-2,
1951, 10 cents, 32 pp. Techniques of personal survival under
biological warfare attacks.
MOTION PICTURES
In addition to publications, you may obtain official FCDA motion
pictures through your local civil defense organization or from
local distributors. Available 8 mm. and 16 mm. prints include:
1. "Survival Under Atomic Attack."
2. "Fire Fighting for Householders."
3. "What You Should Know About Biological Warfare."
4. "Duck and Cover."
5. "Our Cities Must Fight."