Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-24
ERT FOR DISASTER
ALERT FOR DISASTER e emf
Vast Radio Setup Keeps D. c. Vigil
BY CHARLES ID. PIERCE
Star Staff Writer

setting on the frlngeS Of Fort
Reno Park is an elaborate COM
munications nerve center"
housed in a former elementary
school which listens daily for
the approach of death and de-
Struction.
This is District Civil Defense
headquarters. Its two-way radio
systems, "hot line" phones and
chattering teletypes were set up
to help prepare the Nations
Capital to cope with natural or
man-made disasters.
An enemy nuclear missile
racing across the ocean, a hur-
ricane bowling up from the
Caribbean, a fierce blizzard ap-
proaching-these are the po-
tential hazards this office must
be prepared to meet.
1--WE have the responsibility
Of co-ordinating the District
governments activities during
a disaster" says George Roder-
icks, District civil defense di-
rector. "We can reach out at
least 100 miles on our commu-
hications system and gather in
telligence quickly on any threat
to the CITY,"
Raid Warning i'm Minute
In the one-story stucco civil
defense headquarters at 1920
Howard street NV. are six
separate two-way radio sys-
TENS which directly link this
office to various District and
Federal departments, District
police and fire stations, several
suburban points, Virginia and
Maryland State Police, area
military installations, weather
bureaus and civil defense points
as far south as Richmond and
as far north as Pikesville, Md.
If an enemy attack occurred,
the North American Air De-
Tense Command at Colorado
Springs. Colo, would send a
message that would be on the
Washington Warning Area
communications circuit here
within 60 seconds, according to
Melvin Mcbride, District dep
uty civil defense director.
This circuit is a "hot" tele-
phone line which connects Dis
trict civil defense with % fire
departments, police depart
ments and civil defense offices
in the suburbs and the Wash
ington region.
The location of the control
center for this circuit is a
closely-guarded secret.
A two-way radio system has
been installed to back up the
"hot" telephone line in case the
circuit fails.
In addition, the District has
its own command channel"
two-way radio system to send
and receive disaster informa-
ton concerning only Washing
ton. This system also has an
alternate back-up" two-way
radio network. s '~lr
Duplicates at L0rtOn
Duplicate radio facilities have
been installed at the relocation
center at Lorton, Va, where the
District government might
move in event of an attack.
A third duplicate civil defense
two-way radio system has been
installed in a specially con-
structed bus normally kept at
Lorton. This vehicle is always
ready to go into operation and
could be moved anywhere in the
area after warning of an at
tack.
District civil defense auto
mobiles and the private cars of
top civil defense officials also
are equipped with two-way
radios so that contact can al
ways be kept with headquarters.
Mr.. Rodericks said that a
shadow civil defense cabinet"
of Department of Corrections
officials has been trained to
take over at Lorton in the event
he and other civil defense Of
ficials in Washington are killed
or disabled by an enemy attack.
Donald Clemmer, director of
the District Department of Cor
rections, has been designated as
the alternate director of civil
defense if Mr.. Rodericks and ,
his deputies should be put out
Of action.
Traffic Radio Tie-In
Another two way radio /
system tied in with the District :
civil defense office is the new
one set up by the District
government to help prevent
traffic jams during snow
storms.
This network connects the
District traffic, sanitation and
highway offices with highway
offices in suburban Virginia
and Maryland.
1t is also linked with more
than 10 automobiles of District
traffic and snow-fighting Of
ficials. One of the purposes
of this system is to permit
prompt exchange of informa-
ton on road and traffic con-
ditions in the Washington area
during and Immediately after a
snow storm.
The District Highway De- !
partment also has its own two
way radio system, which does
not have any links with points
outside the District. This net
work is, however, tied into
the District civil defense head
quarters.
The General Services Ad- ,
ministration radio network
linking many Federal buildings
here also is connected to the
civil defesnse headquarters.