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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/24/1942 'i I SUFFOLK COUNTY WAR COUNCIL Office of Civilian Protection SWC:A-123 (Part 1) October 24 1942 To: Deputy County Directors and Chiefs of Second Division Subject: V HO~~ CERTIFICATE For more than a year now, the Suffolk County Office of Civilian Protection and the Township Defense Councils have been instructing people at home and at work in proper methods of preparing them- selves so that rai.ds - when and if they come - will cause as little damage, distress, or confusion, as possible. Air raid wardens have received practice and training for the purpose of, (1) qual- i.fying themselves to handle incendiary bon,bs, give elementary first-aid and look after the people in their district during an emergency, and (2), to learn what air-raid precautions are necessary to home and to inform the people and get them to take such precautions for their own protection. Now is the time to learn how well our job has been done and how many homes are ready with the necessary air-raid precautions prescribed by the county and local councils. To determine the extent to which this job has been done, the United States Office of Civilian Protection has prepared a V Home Certificate in .attractive red, white and blue colors, with the official CD insignia, that is suitable for a window sticker. Defense officials are now authorized to award this certificate to such homes as are qualified. To qualify, a person must demonstrate to his air-raid warden that his home meets such requirements of blackout and air-raid precautions as have been prescribed by the local defense council and, in addition, will sign a 5-point pledge of cooperation on the home front, which pledge is reproduced on the back of the V Home Certificate. A sample of the Certificate is attached hereto. The awarding of this Certificate is not just a publicity scheme; its purpose is to give some recognition to those people who have prepared for the protection of themselves now instead of risking the chance and possibly having to be taken care of by their better protected neighbors in case of an emergency. It is entirely possible that many naturally modest persons may not at first wish to display on their homes a V Home Certificate. On the other hand, many will be willing and glad to show they are fighting this home front war 100%, by displaying the certificate on the window or door, and by taking the lead, ~:ill get everyone to follow. Naturally, the air raid warden and the defense officials will set the example by qualifying their homes first so that all may see. This award of V Home Certificates is being done allover the United States and you will doubtless hear further of it from newspapers, radio, store window displays 1\nd so forth. In New York State, it is already under way in some sections. Here in Suffolk, we desire to give it a good start and to put it across 100% as Suffolk should take the lead in this activity of civilian protection as we have t1\ken the lead in the state from the very start! . EVERY SUFFOLK HOllIE A V HOllIE!!!! Charles D. Webster Chief of 2nd Division Floyd D. Houston Director Civilian Protection jat' ," -_._~._...-. .__.. ---....-.---.--.....-. ._-- " SUFFOLK COUNTY WAR COUNCIL Office of Civilian Protection SWC:A.123 (Part II) October 24 1942 To: Deputy County Directors and Chiefs of Second Division Subject: RUNNING THE V HOME CERTIFICATE CAMPAIGN In general, the plan outlined below should be followed in putting across the campaign on V Home Certificates. 1. Announce the plan first to your own defense people at least a week before publicity is given to the papers. The air raid warden is to be the key in the campaign and we suggest you pre- pare a bulletin outlining the plan and sending it to our wardens, and that you then arrange to have each warden post meet and review just how they are going to put it across in their district. To your chief wardens, zone, sector and senior wardens, we suggest you send a sample of the Certificate, which will also serve to be used on their own home if it qualifies; we have sent you one hundred of these stickers for that purpose. 2. After the warden post meeting, where the plan is reviewed, the pledge form should be distributed (see sample attached). The purpose of this pledge is that it is taken by the warden to his district and either read or left with each householder to read and sign. The warden may then ask permission from the house- holder to inspect the home in so far as determining whether necessary precautions have been taken, and, naturally, the householder cannot sign the pledge unless the warden can approve the precautions taken, so you can see the warden will have to be very diplomatic in his approach. When all of the names have been signed to the pledge, it should be 'returned by the warden to the senior warden at the post, who in turn will mail it direct to the deputy county director at Report Center and he will then authorize the release of the number of Certificates to the senior warden, when they will be signed by the warden and presented to the householders. We suggest that one evening or one day be set aside in each district for the presentation of the Certificates to the householders by the wardens from the posts in that district. The initial supply of the Certificates is limited. We will have enough to go around so please do not send in a request for as many certificates as there are homes in your township, but after the plan is under way and you have received from the senior wardens the number of homes actually signing the pledge, then send to Riverhead for the number of Certificates required. After you have thoroughly informed your members of the Civilian Defense forces of this plan, then release your pUblicity, and we have attached for your convenience several sample releases which can be used during the extent of the campaign. To be a success, the campaign should be limited to a thirty-day duration and should start as soon after November 1 as you can get your .people together and conclude no later than December 15. ~e will supplement your publicity by releases from Riverhead and pass along to you any additional information which we may have from time to time. 1.',0 vlill call for a report on the success of your efforts upon the conclusion of the campaign. Charles D. Webster Chief of 2nd Division Floyd D. Houston Director Civilian Protection jaf . .. .. THIS IS A V HOME! We in this home are fighting. We know this war will be easy to lose and hard to win. We mean to win it. Therefore we sOlemnly pledge all our energies and all our resources to the fight for freedom and against fascism. We serve notice to all that we are personally carrying the fight to the enemy, in these ways; 1. This home follows the instructions of its air raid warden, in order to protect itself against attack by air. II. This home conserves food, clothing, transportation, and health, in order to hasten an unceasing flow of war materials to our men at the front. III. This home salvages essential materials, in order that they may be converted to immediate war uses. IV. This home refuses to spread rumors designed to divide our Nation. V. This home buys War Savings Stamps and Bonds regularly. We are doing these things because we know we must to WIN THIS WAR. NA1~ ADDRESS -------------------- ------------------------- ---------- ------------------------- -------------------------- ---------------------- ------------------------------- --------------------------- -------------------------- --- ---------------------- ------------------- SWC:A-122 SUFFOLK COUNTY WAR COUNCIL Office of Civilian Protection Riverhead, New York October 24 1942 To: Deputy County Directors Subject: Categories of service- Office of Civilian Protection Listed below you will find the 16 various categories as set- up by the U. S. Citizens' Defense Corps and which should be set up in each town and village Office of Civilian Protection. Will you kindly check those services already trained and organized within your township, which in your opinion are ready to function, and return this form to the County Office. Township or Village __ 10. 1. Staff Corps 2. Air Raid Wardens 3. Auxiliary Police Auxiliary Firemen (vol.) 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Fire Watchers Demolition & Clearance Crews _______ Road Repair Crews __________________ Rescue Squads _____________ Decontamination Squads _____________ Medical Corps 11. Nurses' ~ides Corps ________________ 12. Drivers' Corps _____________________ 13. Messenger Corps 14. Emergency Food & Housing Corps _____ (this category will be taken care of by the Commissioner of Public Welfare) 15. Utility Repair Squads ______________ 16. Instructors (signed) Deputy County Director- If any of these services are not set up will you kindly note the reason. jaf FLOYD D. HOUSTON Director Civilian .Protection