Evening star., 1942-04-15
BIackout Test
For District
BringsPrdise
Simulated Incidents
Give Warden Stuffs
And Police q Workout

washington uISt ali-Oul ft-
hearSal for an air raid drew ON
cial praise today and an immediate
promise of more Of the same"
Although the response OF citizens
and civilian defenders alike indi-
Gated there were inevitable bumps"
which future blackouts will iron out.
Main stress, It was indicated. will
be laid on the communications syS-
TEN. although the quickness Of ex-
ecuting blackout orders will also be
emphasized.
Col. Lemuel BolleS executive d.
rector of District civilian defense.
said he was highly pleased with the
rehearsal.
only the thorough and sympa-
thetic and complete cooperation
by the public of the metropolitan
area, the newspapers and the radio
stations" he said. made 1t possible
to go through with the first complete
blackout. involving more than 1000
900 persons, without accidents or
arrests. The results OF the tests are
Ill lIlttflStlNtS likltch
the people could have"
Reports Being Studied.
Oficials pored today over the re-
ports which we're still coming In
early this morning. Some Of the
simulated incidents" kept civilian
defenders working long after the
blackout-although few overen-
thusiastic wardens Jumped the gun"
on their sealed orders and made
their reports ahead Of the sirens.
Chairman Randolph, OF the
House District Committee. who
toured with the Commissioners,
other members of Congress and ma
tional civilian defense officials, de-
clared that II last nights blackout
was an indication of what will hap
pen II and when Washington is
bombed, I'VE are ready to take care
of ourselves"
Commissioner Young and Fire
Chief Stephen r. Porter. who
waited at the control center. said
they were highly satisfied with the
communications system and with
the dispatching of services as far
as they could observe them at the
| center.
See Warnings Flashed.
The Commissioners and their Of
ficial guests were at the control
center In time to see the yellow
light warning" flash on the corn
munications board at o:55 pm. and
to watch the word go out to the
civilian defense army to report for
duty. They saw the blue light
warning at 10:I5 and few seconds
before the red light flashed on the
board at 1925 pm. on which the
sirens scattered throughout the city
we're sounded. they went outside
the control center to watch the
lights die.
On the slow trip which followed.
they were particularly impressed by
the response from motorists who
drew Immediately to the curb. On
this score the wardens came In for
their share of glory for clearing the
streets.
Detonations Are Heard.
Some mystery today surrounded
a series Of heavy detonations which
were heard distinctly in several Sec
tions of the city last night while
the sirens were in operation. Of1-
cials said they came from the direc-
tion Of the Potomac River and the
Virginia shore and probably were
guns fired at Fort Myer, although
they had been unable to verify this.
A highly successful test was made
last night of blackout of the
] home of w. Harold Otley, on the
Telegraph road mile and half
from Alexandria. considered one of
the hardest types of homes to black
out. Venetian blinds on the dwell
ing were left more than 30 degrees
open, officials reported, but Army,
Navy and Government inspectors
flying overhead in plane were un-
able to see any reflection.
Traffic Director william A. Van
Duzer reported that tests also were
made last night of luminous and re-
f1ecting paint in certain areas of the
city, in line with Army specifica-
tions. He said announcement OF
the outcome would be withheld until
cooperating officials at Fort Belvoir
could be consulted.
Col. Bolles, explaining his orders
last night more fully, said that $40
had been distributed. Each began:
Assume that the following Incl
dent has taken place in your sec
tor:
Wardens were instructed to begin
their reports with "air-raid test"
instead of "air-raid damage"
In order to keep the streets from
being clogged with apparatus, the
chiefs of the various services were
instructed to select one incident"
for transmission to their squads and
report what they would do in each
of the other cases.
Col. Bolles said 1876 of the ''inci-
dents" had reached the control
center before midnight.
| One of the first full reports came
in from DR.. John Reed, head of the
emergency medical services, who re-
ported that five minutes before the
"red Light warning" almost all of
the IA hospitals used in the test were
fully mobilized and ready TO roll.
Three hospitals sent out about l25
pieces of equipment on orders.
Fire Department Responds.
First outfit to roll was the Fire
Department. 1t had orders to send
rescue squad and ambulance to the
White House grounds and had the
equipment on the spot five minutes
after the yellow light warning, on
which it was to go.
In addition to the regular force of
the Fire Department, approximately
/, 800 men reported for duty.
The Police Department had almost
its entire regular force on duty and
2,642 auxiliary policemen. Impor-
tant from the police point of view,
as well as that of civilian defense