Civilian defense

The Soldier Biological and Chemical Defense Command (SBCCOM) is located at the Edgewood Arsenal (Aberdeen Proving Gronnd) in rural Maryland, north of Baltimore. The SBCCOM is the Army s principal research and development center for chemical and biological defense technology and has an extensive complement of skilled professionals in this field. This program could easily be expanded for civilian defense needs. 

Before getting into this rather deadly subject, I should like to repeat a pithy remark of a Bostonian friend who, when I mentioned the subject of the talk at one of our clubs, said, On the subject of civilian defense, I seethe with apathy. ... 

Mansur, C.I., ed. (1943). Waterworks engineering in disaster. Office of Civilian Defense Washington DC. 

Office of Civilian Defense, Medical Division, First Aid in the Prevention and Treatment of Chemical Casualties (Washington, DC, 1941). 

The number of bacterial cells is easily counted by BL in the use of bacterial weapons, as in terrorist attacks. Luciferase BL is a fast and sensitive assay for analysis of the toxic properties of various unknown chemical gases and compounds that could threaten populations. These applications are crucial for military and civilian defense. A typical example is the radiation estimations by Beneckea Harvey BL bacteria [46]. 

In July 1943 the CWS asked the ASF for authority to establish a chemical warfare school toward the West Coast. The recommendation was advanced as a means of providing final instruction for military personnel moving into Pacific theaters of operations and of eliminating extensive travel for those selected at western stations for training in chemical warfare. The functions of the new school would be (i) to provide for short technical refresher courses of one-week duration for CWS officers in the Far West who were scheduled for overseas duty (2) to provide short courses for units gas officers who could not be economically sent to the Chemical Warfare School at Edgewood (3) to conduct training for civilians, as directed by the Office of Civilian Defense and (4) to meet requests of naval authorities for training naval personnel on the Pacific coast in gas defense. ... 

One of the first steps taken by Hon. Fiorello H. La Guardia as Director of the Ofiice of Civilian Defense, after that office had been set up, was to request specifically that the War Department provide for the training of ten successive classes of civilians to be selected by his office. The Secretary of War approved La Guardia s request to set up schools for the training of civilians, and on 21 May 1941 directed the activation of the first of these schools. ... 

Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia, New York City, first Director of Civilian Defense, left, and Alaj. Gen. William N. Porter, Chief of Chemical Warfare Service, at graduation of first civilian defense class. Chemical Warfare School, Edge-wood, Alaryland, 22 July ici i. 

Ltr, Brig Gen L. D. Gasser to SW, 21 Jul 41, sub Request for Immediate Appointment of Liaison Officer at Edgewood Arsenal to Coordinate Relationships with the Office of Civilian Defense. CWS 314.7 Civilian Defense File. 

In the eleven classes conducted at Edgewood Arsenal prior to 7 December 1941, 466 students from thirty-seven states were graduated. Out of this relatively small group came many leaders to head civilian defense bodies in every section of the country after war was declared. At the same time these prewar classes provided invaluable experience in working out solutions to problems that were without precedent in American experience. 

During the fall of 1941, in response to insistent demands, the Chemical Warfare School extended its civilian defense instruction into nearby areas. This step was taken as an aid in the protection of industrial plants against aerial attack, a matter of utmost concern at the time. The work involved demonstrations and seminars at Boston, Princeton, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. The course at Princeton consisted of a two-day session conducted for the special benefit of CWS Reserve officers who were preparing for active participation in the New Jersey state civil defense program. 

Reserve officers contributed materially to the development of civilian defense at this early stage, especially in the East. Notable in this connection was the work of Col. J. Enrique Zanetti, a CWS Reserve officer and Columbia University professor, who wrote and lectured extensively on this subject and demonstrated the burning of incendiaries before many interested groups. Local officials charged with developing civilian defense organiza-... 

As finally organized, the general Civilian Defense Course included nine subcourses as follows ... 

Civilian Defense Organization (3 hours) To insure familiarity with the general outlines of organization on national, regional, state, and local... 

---