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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCivil Defense in Suffolk County Booklet .~ f . I Civil Defense I . m I I Suffolk County I I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I t I I I ----------_____1 . . . .. FOREWORD It must be remembered that this country is not at war with any other nation. It is the hope of everyone that it never will be at war. However, from the dreadful example of Eur- opean countries that have been crushed with such apparent lack of effort in the last few months, it is obvious that our pleasant Amer- ican way of life can not be taken for granted any more. The whole conception of Civil Defense in our country is new to all of us. Naturally, to create such a set-up requires a great deal of trial and error. The County Council feels, however, that the organization has pro- gressed sufficiently so that in time of emer- gency or stress the elements of the county will function together as a unit. Time alone will tell. However, in the final analysis the suc- cess of Civil Defense depends on the people. Wiij not you, the readers of this pamphlet, help to the best of your ability in uniting your county? Without your cooperation the plan cannot be effective. With it, and working as a unit, you will be invincible. Suffolk County contains approximately nine hundred square miles. This is sixty-six percent of the total area of Long Island. Ac- cording to the United States Federal Census of 1940, Suffolk's population was 197,355. As it takes about 15,300 citizen volunteers to make Civil Defense successful, it can be seen that we have undertaken a considerable job. It is hoped that the following paragraphs will sta~e the issues for you clearly. , . To the People of Suffolk County To fully understand Civil Defense, what it is and how it came into being, it is necessary first of all to explain those steps leading to the formation of the County Defense Council, and the sources of authority for such steps. Shortly after the Spring invasion of the lowland countries by the German armies, President Roosevelt, on July 6, 1940, proclaimed the existence of a state of limited national emergency. Alt that time, the Governors of the forty-eight states were charged with the task of establishing Civil Defense in their states; and the War Department directed the corps area com- manders to advise and assist the state governments in the preparation of Civil Defense plans. In New York State, Governor Lehman appointed the Supervisors of each county to be the Civil Defense Council in their particular county. Due to its other business, the Board of Supervisors of Suffolk County did not feel it could devote ample time to Civil Defense. Therefore, on April 14, 1941, at a public meeting in the County Court House in Riverhead, they duly appointed a committee of seven members to serve as the active Civil Defense Council of Suffolk County. The men appointed were: 1. Honorable L. Barron Hill, Chairman. 2. Captain Harry Van Liew. executive secretary. 3. Colonel Walter F. Barnes. 4'. Mr. Lawrence Grant White. 5. Honorable Richard W. Hawkins. 6. Mr. Harry T. Peters. 7. Mr. Ward Melville. It may be seen, then, that the authority for Civil Defense in Suffolk County comes directly to the Civil Defense Council through the Board of Supervisors from the Governor of the State of New York, by proclamation of the President of the United States. . . n. What is Civil Defense? Civil Defense, or home defense. includes all efforts made to protect the people, their homes. the services bv which they live and upon which they depend, in the every-day ways of life when and if an emergency should arise. Defense falls under two types-active defense and passive defense. A. ACTIVE defense includes all meR.'lUreS undertaken by armed forces to hold off the enemy. This includes action by the navy. by the anny, and by the air forces and by their auxiliaries. B. PASSIVE defense includes all measures that may be necessary to protect 1. Utilities, 2. the Indus- tries, and 3. the populace. It can be seen, therefore, that Civil Defense is PASSIVE defense. From the example of England and many other European countries, it is now recognized that the civilian popUlations bear the chief weight of attacks whether they be attacks from the air (\1' from v.ithin. To meet these attacks with sanity and calmness. the citizenry must be organized to meet any emergency with a maximum of efficiency and with a minimum of confusion. Civil Defense. therefore, is defense of the people, by the people, and for the people. III. What is the Function of Civil Defense? The function of the County Civil Defense organization is to coordinate all the existing agencies in each township, so that these agencies retain their identities and yet work for a common purpose under qualified leadership. The Council is to act as an advisory and executive com- mittee for the county as a whole. Each township has established a similar council to take care of the needs in its area. 'Questionnaires have been sent out for distribution to find out what personnel and materials are available in the county. This information will be classified and filed. so that if citizens possessing certain aptitudes or supplies - fire reauired for civil defense. thev can be located without loss .of timp. The County Civil Defense Council has no dpsire to tell organizations, trained for snecifi~ Durnoses. what to do. However, in view of the unsettled time." in which we live, it seems only senflible that everv existing agencv should work together smoothly. Only in this way, can confusion be eliminated. From time to time the County Defense Council will be asked to cooperate with the Federal Government in thp collection of certain necessary salvageable materials, such as aluminum. Sometime after Labor Day, of this year, there will be a blackout of the entire countv. The nurpo..<;e of a black- out entails more than the mere shutting off of illuminae Uon. The nrimarv objective is to have the county so well organized that civilian activities can progress under cover of darkness. This, naturally, means that the training of all o8rsonnel in the organization must be nerfected. The United States army is more than anxious to help us and will participate with us during the blackout. To make this event successful everyone in the Civil Defense organization must cooperate to the utmost and we feel sure that when it is over it can be said that this county did a good job. IV. How is Civil Defense Set Up? The County Civil Defense Council consists of seven individuals, one of whom is chairman and another executive secretary. Each of the remaining is chairman of a division. These divisions, including all phases of civilian defense, are as follows: 1. Utilities. 2. Civilian Protection. 3. Defense Forces. 4. Training. 5. Personnel. In addition the Honorable Chairman did appoint Mrs. William Wood of Islip to serve as coordinator of all women's organizations. Mr. Henry Sanford of St. James also was appointed to be aSBtstant executive secretary. I In each of the' ten townships, with 'the'exce'ption of jBrookhaven which is divided into a northern and southern district due to its size, are township defense councils organized in the same way as the County Council. The chief of a division in the County Council advises the corresponding chief of division in the town- ship regarding forms of procedure, instructions, etc. The chiefs of the divisions in the townships in turn advise and instruct their sub-committees and workers in the field. Thus, it can be seen that there is always a direct line of control from the County Council in Riverhead through the township council right on to the farthest field worker. This plan is an adaptation of the army plan and has been approved by the 2nd Corps area. The County -Council is in constant touch with all its outlying mem- bers. This work is entirely voluntary and its success depends on the good will of the people and their desire to cooperate for their common good. V. Functions in Detail of the Six Divisions Division 1-Utilities A. To make surveys of utilities and communications 1. To find whether or not utility companies in township areas are prepared for emergency. 2. If they are not prepared, insist that they be so. 3. If they are prepared, offer to them additional personnel to train to supplement what is already there. 4. All findings to be filed and reported to head- quarters in Riverhead. B. Use of Maps on which utilities are plotted. 1. -One for Chief of Division 2. One for township headquarters 3: One for county headquarters Division 2~Civilian Protection Air-raid Protection A. Air-raid warning system 1. Warning systems must be installed. 2. _~ust be used_ with given signal. . B. Air~raid Warden Posts 1. Function is to instruct citizenry. 2. Blackout instructions will come through them. 3. Warden Posts will be picked by fire departments. 4. In each post are 5 wardens and 1 senior warden. 5. Wardens must be investigated and approved. 6. When Rpproved, wardens will have proper identi- fications. 7. Chairman of warden posts should completely map out his territory. 8. Warden post should be given instructions in ele- ments of first-aid and fire fighting. 9. Warden posts will make sure all lights are out in in their sector after warning sienal sounds. 10. When bombs faJI, warden posts will report to the Report Center where they are falling, types of bombs falling, and what damage is being caused. 11. If warden posts cannot take care of damage in sector, they immediately will notify Report Center to that effect. Refugees A. Shelter or housing. B. Feeding. 1. Chairman of these sub-committees should, through public welfare agencies, make a survey of the availability of houses and food supply in case of an emergency. C. Use of Maps. t 1. One for Chief of Division. 2. One for township headquarters. 3. One for county headquarters. a. This last map should have on it: 1. Warden post sectors. 2. Air-raid warning system. 3. Information in sheltering or feeding. Division 3-Defense Forcel; A. Police 1. Township police chief, with chief of division, will pick auxiliary police. 2. Have them investigated. 3. Train them. B. Fire 1. Township fire chief, with chief of division, will pick auxiliary firemen. 2. Have them investigated. 3. Train them. 4. Warden posts also will be investigated and ap~ pointed by fire department. C. Medical 1. Doctor assigned to one unit, working with chief of division, will help train auxiliary first~aiders and nurses. D. Guards 1. Township police chief, with chief of division, will pick guards. 2. Have them investigated. 3. Train them. 4. Not as active policemen or auxiliary firemen, but rather as sentries who will guard certain positions while the policemen and auxiliary poliC€men are doing their active law-enforcing work. Division 4-Training Head of this division will cooperate with and check on from time to time, the directors of the townshiP defense councils on the training programs set up with the Police, Fire Departments and the Red Cross. Division 5-Personnel 1. Distribute questionnaires to township councils. 2. See that they are distributed to township councils. 3. Follow instructions for classifying and qualifying individuals. 4. Send original questionnaires to Riverhead, retain copy in township headquarters file. Divi~ion 6-Women's Or~anizations '1"l1e flll1dinn of th~ Conntv COllncH'.c:: wnrr'\:\n ore'ani7.f!r i!': tf'l ~l"f> th:'lt t:hp VRl'iou,o:; wnmen's OTrr8tlization,e: throuQ'l1- r'l1lt thf' ('nuntv kF'pn 1m t.heil' 'p'onn work. aVoinit1~ dnnJi- ('Qt,i(),...~. so t,no:'I'f; tn"il' efforts will not. he wa,e:ted. It Ie: w.pll known th~t t.hf' WOt1'1pn of S1iff'olk County playa t.remendous nart in general welfare. RelaHoTI"hin of 2nd l",nd 3rd Divisions 1. When thp: aircraft alarm 1,0:; sounrlf'd. the units of Divi!'don 3 ~houJr'l P'O to their mobilization centers, which are the firehouses. 2. At tn"" mobilization center. t,he units of Division 3 ~l101l1d wait in readiness until ordered to do other- wise. 3. In the areas allocated to them. the air-raid warden posts report to the Report Center what Is happen- ing in the specific area, 4, If the situation is of such a nature that the air- raid warden post can control it, he reports the fact to the Report Center. 5. If the situation is beyond the control of the a.1r- raid warden posts, then he reports that fact, either by phone or messenger, to the Report Center. 6. The Report Center then orders out 00 the troubled area or areas, the necessary auxiliary help which haS been waiting in readiness at the mobilization center. (firehouse) 7. After auxiliary help units have reached the scene of trouble, the air-raid warden post in the area will return to its usual position and function, leaving the work of evacuation, fire-fighting or whatever it may be, to the forces which are !pro- vided from the mobilization center. 8. The above are the steps that should be taken by the units of Divisions 2 and 3 if and when the alarm sounds. It will be seen that the extent to ~which they-- cooperate must depend on the serious- ness of the situation. It is seen, also, that the estimate of the situation must depend on the good judgment of the air-raid warden post. The foregoing steps naturally must tie in with the Report Center, which is the Township Civil Defense Headquarters. 1. At the Report Center will be four maps: A. One for first division-indicating utilities points B. One for second division-indicating available serv- ices C. One for third division D. One for a spotter board-indicating warden posts, located and numbered ,2. There will be symbols to be pinned on maps if a situation arises indicating: A. H-2 bombs-high explosive B. Incendiary bombs C. Situations out of control D. Aircraft directly over a sector 3. There will have to be: A. Telephone B. Efficient telephone operators C. A police liaison between JXllice forces and the coun- cil D. A fire liaison between fire departments and the council E. A Red Cross officer F. The Chiefs of Divisions to aid and supervise G. A controller of all in-coming and out-going mes- sages H. As warden posts reports come in, it will be the function of Report Center to evaluate the situation, anticipate what may happen, and be ready to have proper aid sent to the area affected from the mobilization center. 1. Report Center will report all its information to the COntrol Center in Riverhead. . Glossary or Definition of Terms 1. Control Center-county headquarters. 2. Report Center-b:l\vnship headquarters. 3, Mobilization Center-fire houses, the places where the defense forces meet when the alarms sound. 4. Air-raid warden posts-an air-raid warden post takes care of an area with a population of approximately 500 people. In each post there will be a single warden with five assistant wardens. 5. Captain-a captain is the person in charge of a specific defense force unit. 6. Guards-a guard will be a sort of police officer, who will hold temporarily a iPosition normally occupied by a bona fide ,policeman. Guards must not be confused with the air-raid wardens. They axe specific members of the third division, and as such, are members of the Defense Forces. ~ - 4':f.-. HON. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT President of the United States HON. HERBERT H. LEHMAN Governor of the State of New York Board of Supervisors 'East Hampton................... PERRY B. DURYEA Southampton ............. J. AUGUSTUS HILDRETH Shelter Island .............. T. EVERETT C. TUTHILL Southold ................. S. WENTwoRTH HORTON Riverhead ..................... ELMER J. B. SAWYER Brookhaven.................... ... EDGAR A. SHARP Islip ............................. CHARLES DURYEA Babylon......................... FREDERIc J. WOOD Huntington.................. ARTHUR J. KREUTZER Smithtown ....................... JOHN N. BRENNAN Township Directors Huntington ....................... R. E. S. DEICHLER Babylon...... ...................... JOHN H. FRENCH Smithtown ........... ............ W. ROYDEN KLEIN Islip .......................... WILLIAM H. ROBBINS N. Brookhaven................. KENSON D. MERRILL S. Brookhaven................... JAMES R. SKINNER Riverhead .... .................. ELMER J. B. SAWYER Southold ............................... JOHN KLUGE Southampton........................ ROY P. DIPPEL Shelter Island ................... FRANCIS A. MYERS East H.ampton ... RAYMOND A. SMITH, JR.'