NCJ Number
190528
Journal
Journal of Homeland Security Dated: July 2001 Pages: 1-8
Date Published
July 2001
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This document reviews the history of civil defense and measures to protect the public.
Abstract
Civil defense became a major issue during World War I as the conduct of war between nations expanded to include attacks on cities, factories, and civilians that were essential to war in the industrial age. Civil defense became even more important during World War II, and the United States established an Office of Civilian Defense in 1941. The explosion of the first atomic bomb signaled the fact that civil defense would remain a permanent fixture of the Cold War. During the 1950's, American civil defense was characterized by a city-evacuation system. Programs to build fallout shelters characterized civil defense efforts in the 1960's, with the 1970's retaining focus on shelters. The advent of satellite reconnaissance during the 1980's provided hope that as many as 3 days of warning would be available before an attack. By 1982, plans of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for crisis relocation envisioned evacuation of 150 million Americans from 400 “high risk” areas. All but a few Americans lack even the most basic personal protective equipment and live, work, and study in environments that afford little shelter against chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) incidents. Even extremely effective consequence-management efforts taken after a CBRN incident has already occurred can do little more than mitigate the suffering of those afflicted. Self-help will largely be the rule for many citizens during the initial hours of a large-scale CBRN incident. Civil defense programs have never achieved widespread and consistent support from the United States civilian population, government leadership, or the military since World War II. In 1984, per capita Federal expenditures were 75 cents for civil defense, compared with $6.00 for ballistic missile defense and $1,350 for the Department of Defense. Americans now believe that the threat of a CBRN attack is a real and pressing concern. Programs that would help Americans protect themselves from CBRN weapons and make the job of responders more manageable are public relations, education, prophylactics, indications and warning systems, passive defenses, and protective equipment and home shelters. The first line of defense after a Weapon of Mass Destruction incident is not the first responders, but individual and collective measures to shield Americans from the effects of germs, chemicals, and radiation. 27 endnotes