Evening star., 1942-07-17
Plans
NoFurther
State B|ackouts
D. 6. Is Undecided
About Joining
Virginio's Test

AS Washington and nearby coun-
ties in Maryland and Virginia
prepared for a half-hour SUI
prise" AFRAID test some time within
the next seven nights, Col. Henry S.
Barrett, chief of the Maryland air.
raid protection services, said he saw
no further need for dusk-to-davn
practice blackouts such as the one
held throughout the State Wednes-
day night.
Virginia Defense Co-ordinator J.
H. Wyse has announced that the
next Statewide all-night blackout
there will take place some time
about the third week of August"
the Associated Press reported from
Richmond.
AS in the last all-night blackout,
a simulated AFRAID alarm will be
sounded and all civilian defense
forces will be brought into action for
approximately an hour, Mr.. Wyse
said.
d. c. Undecided in Joining.
On June II the District and near
by Maryland participated in the Vir-
ginia blackout, but when Washing
ton officials announced yesterday
the metropolitan area surprise air
raid test would be held some time
within the next seven nights they
added they were unable to say
whether they will order participa-
ton in Virginia's night-long August
test
Col. Barrett, in commenting on
Maryland's test Wednesday night
said, The people of Maryland have
proved they know how to black out.
In the future the problem of the
protection service seems to be one
of training
Gov. OConor also was among
State officials who declared the
blackout "signally successful"
Changes Are Recommended.
Recommendations for various
changes in the operation of air-raid
control and report centers in Mont
gomery County are contained in a
preliminary report now being pre-
pared by Fred w. Tuemmler, tech
nical adviser to the County Civilian
Defense Council. The report is ex-
pected to be completed in the next
two weeks.
The survey was made at the re-
quest of Judge Albert E. Brault, ex-
ecutive director of the council. who
pointed out that experience during
previous AFRAID tests in the coun-
| ty "has indicated that revision of
the control system is necessary to
make it more efficient
Among possible improvements
suggested In the reports are the
recruiting and training of a COM
plete operations staff to man the
control center and report centers.
This group also will act as map
plotting clerks in order to permit
the chiefs of service to devote all
their time to dispatching units the
protective services to the scenes
of incidents during AFRAID tests,
Mr.. Tuemmler explained.
Other recommendations include
improvement of facilities in the
various report centers.
The report also calls for estab-
lishment of program of periodic
afraid tests.
Forty auxiliary firemen were
sworn in as members of the Mont
gomery County civilian defense Or
ganization in ceremonies last night
in the Sandy Spring flrehouse.
At the same time ~ women can
teen workers, trained to meet any
emergency that might arise out Of
an evacuation in the Washington
area, took the oath of office.
Judge Charles W. Woodward Of
the Montgomery County Circuit
Court oficiated at the swearing in.
Judge Brault expressed the opin-
ion that Maryland is ahead of most
other States in the preparations it
has made against possible enemy
attack.
William John Thomas, head Of
the auxiliary firemen's organiza-
tion, presided Mrs. Louis Bussler
| is chairman of the Sandy Spring
canteen organization.