Milford chronicle., 1955-07-08
Disaster Plan Is
Completed By CiUiI
Defense Department
(continned from page ID

recting peacetime planning as well
as emergency action following an
attack.
The new plan emphasizes that
the state CD would be charged with
restoring main roads and bridges
only. For the rest, the state would
advise and support the county and
municipal CD units. The latter
would be responsible for rescue
work and shelter preparation in
their localities.
AS was the case under the form
er plan, the county and city CD
forces also would be expected to re-
cruit and train local rescue and en-
gineering units. with the state be-
ing ready to give up-to-the-minute
technical advice.
In an actual emergency the plan
would work THIS way: If there is
sufficient advance warning, the
"alert" would be famed out by ra-
dio or telephone until all person
mel are notified to report to pre-
arranged assembly areas.
II there is no time. or the attack
is a complete surprise, personnel
will be expected to get to their
stations in the best way available.
After an attack, personnel would
remain under shelter until notified
that ii is safe to venture out. Once
released from shelter, the highway
crews would survey their immediate
area of responsibility, noting dam
age and setting priorities on resto-
ration work.
In critical areas, cleanup opera
tions would begin Immediately,
Meanwhile. the survey information
would be forwarded through divi-
sion levels to the chief engineer or
his representative stationed in the
state CD underground control CEN
ter in Delaware City.
AS the overall disaster picture is
pieced together at state headquar-
ters. orders would be issued direct
ing repair crews to major damage
points. Support for badly hit Sec
tions could be marshalled from
other counties and throughout the
federal Civil Defense region.
Much of this procedure already
has been put into practice, accerd-
Ing to Donald Robinson, admins
trative assistant to the highway de-
partment's chief engineer.
MIR. Robinson, who handles the
departments CD planning, points
out that sin many respects our war
time mission is the same as our
daily peacetime work. The main
difference is that in war we shall
be short of men, material and
equipment"
Also. genuine emergency will
thrust on the department many
unusual responsibilities which re-
quire peacetime preparation and
training.
For instance, the new plan calls
for the organization of between
nine and eighteen Debris Clearance
Teams. each with AZ trained men.
This would be in addition to road
and bridge repair teams.
In an emergency, the department
expects to depend heavily on the
men and equipment or DeIaware's
private contractors and builders.
The 52-member Delaware Chapter,
Association of General Contractors
of America, has volunteered its
cooperation.
In the recent CD test exercises,
representative of the Chapter was
stationed at the state control cen
tes. working closely with highway
officials. Also. an inventory of pri-
vatelv owned contracting equipment
is under way.
The new plan even sketches
procedure for cleaning up Whining
ton following a nuclear attack. Al
least "a Debris Clearance Teams
would be required, Ii is estimated
Split into four Restoration
Groups. they would enter the city
by different routes. clearing main
streets to the edge of the totally
destroyed area, then work counter
clockwise TO clear circular route
around the vaporized target center
To insure rapid communication
among its wide ranging mobile un-
its. the highway department recent
~ Installed radio net with the
help of Civil Defense matching
funds.
This net Is In full operation in
New Castle County and plans for
extending ii to Kent sEd Sussex
are under study. The voice net ties
together mobile units with base
stations at New Castle and Dover.