The Delmarva leader and the Seaford news., 1958-04-11


sirable consequences:
a. Be a serious blow to the NOR
ale of the small but growing group
of dedicated Civil Defense workers
and volunteers within the State of
Delaware.
b. Prevent the Department from
carrying out its statutory respon-
sibilities, laid down in Title 20 of
the Delaware Code.
c. Seriously embarrass the Civil
Defense efforts of the political sub
divisions of the State.
d. Jeopardize the excellent rela-
tons and cooperation between the
Civil Defense agencies within the
State and the Federal Civil De.
tense Administration.
e. Necessitate the abandoning of
the State Control Center, with the
loss of funds which were expended
in its moderniZation.
f. Necessitate the dismantling Of
the Control Center and obtaining of
suitable storage space, at no cost,
for the equipment, to prevent de.
terioration and ruin.
G. Require the Department to
seek office space in a State build
ing, where, of necessity, rent and
services will be free.
h. Prevent the Department from
meeting its obligations to the Fed
eral Government to properly main
tain Department-owned Civil De-
tense equipment, which obligation
was assumed when the equipment
was purchased through the Match
ing Funds Program.
i. Prevent the State Agencies
and Political Subdivisions from
benefiting further under the Fed
eral Civil Defense Matching Funds
Program, due to the lack of an
staff.
j. Necessitate withdrawal of De-
partment support of the fire equip
ment loaned to the State Fire
School. The Department maintains
and carries the insurance on this
|. Necessitate withdrawal of De-
partment support of rescue trucks
loaned to Volunteer Fire Compan.
es. One rescue truck, with equip
ment. is on loan to fire company
in each County, and the Depart.
nent carries the insurance on these
vehicles.
m. Prevent the implementation
,f the State Survival Plan, now
,eing developed under a grant OF
unds from the Federal Civil De.
ense Administration.
n. Prevent the State and the
subdivisions from qualifying under
he Durham Bill (IIR-7576), when
enacted. This bill will provide for
the contribution of Federal funds
to the States for administrative
and operating civil defense ex-
penseS.
o. Necessitate a cut-back in De-
oartmental activities in the very
near future, to ensure the grant
ng of vacations and the closing
)ut of the books and accounts prior
20 the end of the current fiscal
year.
Generally. the duties and respon-
;ibilities of the Department of Civil
Defense are not well known, for
although these responsibilities were
by the General Assembly
and the Congress, they have never
been wildly publicized. For your
I am enclosing as
"a, extracts from the
Civil Defense Act and the
Delaware Code, which delineate the
responsibilities and duties which |
rave been placed on the State De-
,artnent of Civil Defense, subjectsI
o the direction and control of the
Likewise, the accomplishments
# Civil Defense and the benefits
which Civil Defense has brought
nto Delaware have not been wide
Y publicized. These are known in
general way; the Delaware State
'olice knew of these benefits as,
uring the recelS snowstorms, they
tilted the Civil Defense radio base
tations and the mobile radio sta
ions purchased through Matching
'unds) which make up the Police
-adio network; the Highway Divi-
ion appreciated these benefits as
ney controlled their emergency
now operations through the High
'ay radio network, for which more
nan $4,000 of Federal funds was
btained through the State Depart
lent of Civil Defense as a Civil
'efense Engineering radio net
'ork; many citizens have appre-
lated these benefits when they .
ere marooned during this WIN
RS storms and were rescued by
Civil Defense Rescue Truck, pur- :
nased wholly or in part with Civil :
efense funds; the Volunteer Fire
understand these bene-
is as the operations of the fire
iuipment and rescue trucks, OBJ
lined through the Federal Civil
efense Matching Funds Program,
re being controlled by means of :
le Fire Services Radio Network,
hich was established by the State :
of Civil Defense thru
le same Matching Funds PRO /