Civil defense is a program that provides guidance and assistance in emergencies. Preparing for, responding to, and recovering from public emergencies are all part of the work of civil defense. Public emergencies may result from such disasters as blizzards, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, explosions, fires, acts of war, and terrorist attacks. Civil defense plans are made to deal with immediate emergency conditions. The focus of civil defense plans includes protecting the public, minimizing property damage, and restoring important services and buildings that have been destroyed or damaged. Governments throughout the world carry out civil defense programs and responsibilities. Civil defense is sometimes called civil protection, emergency management, or disaster services. The international symbol for civil defense is a blue triangle with three equal sides on an orange background.
The priorities of civil defense programs vary. In areas that experience severe weather, civil defense programs typically focus on storms, floods, and other natural disasters. Nations threatened by war or terrorism emphasize preparations for, and recovery from, bombings and other attacks. From the 1950’s to the 1980’s, civil defense programs in the United States and several other countries focused on helping people survive a nuclear attack. In the 2000’s, civil defense programs became increasingly concerned with international terrorism.
Civil defense in action
The first task of a civil defense agency in an emergency is to make sure the public is warned of danger and provided with instructions on how to avoid hazards. In most emergencies, people may protect themselves in one of two ways. They can evacuate the area or remain and take shelter. A civil defense agency works with newspapers, radio and television stations, and computer websites to provide information to the public.
A civil defense agency also coordinates the efforts of other emergency workers. These workers include rescue teams, firefighters, police officers, public works employees, and providers of medical care. In many cases, the agency establishes emergency operating centers. These centers are protected places where top officials can meet to direct activities in an emergency situation.
Warning
involves notifying the community’s emergency services organizations and the general public when dangerous situations arise. A civil defense official usually determines what kind of warning system to use. Methods used to warn the public include outdoor warning systems, such as sirens, horns, whistles, and bells; announcements over radio and television stations that are part of an emergency broadcast system; mobile sirens of police and fire departments; door-to-door visits by emergency personnel; and telephone calls to schools and major employers. Computer networks can also be used to send warnings using e-mail and cell phones.
Evacuation
consists of moving people from a place of danger to a place of safety. Floods and hurricanes are the most common disasters that require evacuation. Many disasters strike suddenly. However, most floods and hurricanes can be predicted in time for people to leave the threatened area safely. People also may be asked to evacuate an area in the event of an accident involving hazardous materials. This evacuation protects them from poisonous fumes, liquids, or smoke. People who are evacuated should go to the location designated by officials, using the route specified.
Shelter.
Most emergency shelters are in or near homes, schools, or places of work. These shelters provide temporary housing, food, clothing, and other essentials for people who have been evacuated.
Emergency services.
When a disaster strikes, the community’s civil defense agency coordinates the response of emergency services. These services could include rescue operations, fire fighting, law enforcement, public works repair, and medical care. Government employees, often with the help of private organizations and volunteers, care for the injured. Food and shelter are also provided to people who have lost their homes.
Recovery.
Communities begin recovery activities as soon as possible after an emergency. Workers clear away debris. Utility companies restore telephone, water, gas, and electrical services. Welfare organizations help disaster victims who have been left homeless. Some communities provide counseling for victims and emergency personnel who suffer psychological damage as a result of a disaster.
After an especially destructive disaster, a government may declare one or more cities, towns, or counties to be a disaster area. Such a declaration makes the area eligible to receive funds and other assistance from the government to help deal with the disaster.
Preparation for future emergencies.
Civil defense agencies make preparations for future emergencies. They base these preparations largely on the estimated likelihood of various types of disasters. For instance, in areas where earthquakes, hurricanes, or tornadoes are likely, agencies advise the public on the proper safety precautions relating to such events.
Nations engaged in wars or other conflicts must be prepared for military attacks. Even in peacetime, counterterrorism is an important form of civil defense. Governments engage in counterterrorism efforts that are meant to detect and prevent terrorist activity. Such efforts commonly involve gathering intelligence (information) and raising security barriers. Special procedures at airports, government buildings, and other potential terrorist targets are common counterterrorism measures taken by governments.
How civil defense is administered
How civil defense is administered varies from country to country. In Canada, a federal agency called Public Safety Canada coordinates emergency planning by all federal agencies and departments. In the United Kingdom, local governments share civil defense responsibilities with the Civil Contingencies Secretariat. This agency is under the Cabinet Office, a department of the national government. In Australia, Emergency Management Australia (EMA), in cooperation with various local services, manages most civil defense efforts. In several other countries, military forces handle civil defense responsibilities with the help of civilian aid workers. International organizations and volunteer organizations in many countries also assist with civil defense efforts.
In the United States, the federal, state, and local governments share responsibility for civil defense. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security controls a number of agencies that work to ensure public safety. One of these, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provides for such emergency needs as communications equipment, warning systems, and emergency operating centers.
History of civil defense in the United States
Beginnings.
From 1916 to 1918, during World War I, a federal agency called the Council of National Defense coordinated civil defense activities in the United States. From 1941 to 1945, during World War II, the Office of Civilian Defense performed a similar function. The Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 established the foundation of the country’s present civil defense system.
The Cold War.
By the late 1940’s, tension between the Soviet Union and the United States led to a bitter struggle known as the Cold War. The Cold War was characterized by mutual distrust and suspicion between the two countries. Each country feared a nuclear attack from the other. From about 1950 to the 1980’s, the primary focus of the U.S. civil defense program was preparedness for nuclear attack.
In 1961, the U.S. Office of Civilian Defense Mobilization began a public fallout shelter program. The program’s purpose was to identify—and stock with supplies—buildings and underground areas where people would be protected from the fallout of a nuclear explosion. Fallout gives off radiation that can cause illness and death.
The federal government designated buildings and underground areas as fallout shelters throughout the 1960’s. However, many people protested the program and refused to take part in national civil defense exercises. The protesters argued that there is no effective defense against a large-scale nuclear attack. In 1979, the newly created Federal Emergency Management Agency assumed responsibility for identifying fallout shelters. But FEMA’s chief responsibility at this time was the preparation of emergency operating centers for political and military leaders in the case of nuclear war.
During the late 1980’s, relations between the United States and the Soviet Union began to improve. As the threat of nuclear war diminished, FEMA reduced the emphasis on preparedness for nuclear attack. Instead, the agency concentrated on coping with natural disasters and other hazards. In 1991, the Soviet Union broke up into a number of independent states. The following year, FEMA discontinued its funding of the fallout shelter program.
Focus on terrorism.
The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks changed the focus of U.S. civil defense. Civil defense programs shifted toward readiness for terrorist acts, including biological and chemical attacks. In 2002, Congress established the Department of Homeland Security to help protect the nation against terrorism. In 2003, FEMA and a number of other federal agencies were transferred to the new department.
Recent developments.
In August 2005, the United States suffered one of the worst disasters in its history, as Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast. About 1,800 people died. Many other people were left without food, water, shelter, and other basic needs. In the following weeks, the civil defense system in the United States received widespread criticism. Many people charged that the federal government, and FEMA in particular, acted slowly in providing aid to the areas hit by the storm. Others claimed that state and local officials failed to carry out essential emergency procedures.
