Origins Civil defense

british first world war poster, bringing attention threat posed aerial bombardment german zeppelins.

the advent of civil defence stimulated experience of bombing of civilian areas during first world war. bombing of united kingdom began on 19 january 1915 when german zeppelins dropped bombs on great yarmouth area, killing 6 people. german bombing operations of first world war surprisingly effective, after gotha bombers surpassed zeppelins. devastating raids inflicted 121 casualties each ton of bombs dropped; figure used basis predictions.

after war, attention turned toward civil defence in event of war, , air raid precautions committee (arp) established in 1924 investigate ways ensuring protection of civilians danger of air-raids.

the committee produced figures estimating in london there 9,000 casualties in first 2 days , continuing rate of 17,500 casualties week. these rates thought conservative. believed there total chaos , panic , hysterical neurosis people of london try flee city. control population harsh measures proposed: bringing london under military control, , physically cordoning off city 120,000 troops force people work. different government department proposed setting camps refugees few days before sending them london.

a special government department, civil defence service, established home office in 1935. remit included pre-existing arp wardens, firemen (initially auxiliary fire service (afs) , latterly national fire service (nfs)), fire watchers, rescue, first aid post, stretcher party , industry. on 1.9 million people served within cd; 2,400 lost lives enemy action.

air raid warden testing equipment in brisbane in october 1942.

the organisation of civil defence responsibility of local authority. volunteers ascribed different units depending on experience or training. each local civil defence service divided several sections. wardens responsible local reconnaissance , reporting, , leadership, organisation, guidance , control of general public. wardens advise survivors of locations of rest , food centres, , other welfare facilities.

rescue parties required assess , access bombed-out buildings , retrieve injured or dead people. in addition turn off gas, electricity , water supplies, , repair or pull down unsteady buildings. medical services, including first aid parties, provided on spot medical assistance.

the expected stream of information generated during attack handled report , control teams. local headquarters have arp controller direct rescue, first aid , decontamination teams scenes of reported bombing. if local services deemed insufficient deal incident controller request assistance surrounding boroughs.

fire guards responsible designated area/building , required monitor fall of incendiary bombs , pass on news of fires had broken out nfs. deal individual magnesium electron incendiary bomb dousing buckets of sand or water or smothering. additionally, gas decontamination teams kitted out gas-tight , waterproof protective clothing deal gas attacks. trained decontaminate buildings, roads, rail , other material had been contaminated liquid or jelly gases.

anderson shelters distributed in united kingdom civil defence authorities, in preparation aerial bombardment.

little progress made on issue of air-raid shelters, because of apparently irreconcilable conflict between need send public underground shelter , need keep them above ground protection against gas attacks. in february 1936 home secretary appointed technical committee on structural precautions against air attack. during munich crisis, local authorities dug trenches provide shelter. after crisis, british government decided make these permanent feature, standard design of precast concrete trench lining. decided issue anderson shelter free poorer households , provide steel props create shelters in suitable basements.

during second world war, arp responsible issuing of gas masks, pre-fabricated air-raid shelters (such anderson shelters, morrison shelters), upkeep of local public shelters, , maintenance of blackout. arp helped rescue people after air raids , other attacks, , women became arp ambulance attendants job administer first aid casualties, search survivors, , in many grim instances, recover bodies, of own colleagues.

as war progressed, effectiveness of aerial bombardment was, beyond destruction of property, limited. there fewer 3 casualties each ton of bombs dropped luftwaffe in many british cities , expected social consequences hardly happened. morale of british people remained high, shell-shock not @ common, , rates of other nervous , mental ailments declined.

united states

in united states, office of civil defense established in may 1941 coordinate civilian defense efforts. coordinated department of army , established similar groups british arp. 1 of these groups still exists today civil air patrol, created civilian auxiliary army. cap created on december 1, 1941, main civil defense mission of search , rescue. cap sank 2 axis submarines , provided aerial reconnaissance allied , neutral merchant ships. in 1946, civil air patrol barred combat public law 79-476. cap received current mission: search , rescue downed aircraft. when air force created, in 1947, civil air patrol became auxiliary of air force. coast guard auxiliary performs similar role in support of u.s. coast guard.

in united states federal civil defense program existed under public law 920 of 81st congress, amended, 1951-1994. statutory scheme made so-called all-hazards public law 103-160 in 1993 , largely repealed public law 103-337 in 1994. parts appear in title vi of robert t. stafford disaster relief , emergency assistance act, public law 100-107 [1988 amended]. term emergency preparedness largely codified repeal , amendment. see 42 usc sections 5101 , following.