View source for Civil defense

{{Short description|Protection of citizens from disasters and military attack}}
{{For|the Russian rock band|Grazhdanskaya Oborona}}
{{Use  British English|date=August 2021}}

[[File:International distinctive sign of Civil Defense (roundel).svg|thumb|right|The international distinctive sign of civil defense, defined by the rules of [[international humanitarian law]] and to be used as a [[protective sign]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Annex I to Protocol Additional I to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 : Regulations concerning identification, as amended on 30 November 1993: Article 16 |url=https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/api-amended-annex-i-1993/article-16?activeTab=%7CICRC |website=International Humanitarian Law Databases |publisher=ICRC |access-date=20 July 2025}}</ref>]]
'''Civil defense''' or '''civil protection''' is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally [[non-combatant]]s) from human-made and [[natural disaster]]s. It uses the principles of [[emergency management]]: [[Risk management|prevention]], mitigation, preparation, response, or [[emergency evacuation]] and recovery. Programs of this sort were initially discussed at least as early as the 1920s and were implemented in some countries during the 1930s as the threat of [[war]] and [[strategic bombing|aerial bombardment]] grew. Civil-defense structures became widespread after authorities recognised the threats posed by [[nuclear weapon]]s.

Since the end of the [[Cold War]], the focus of civil defense has largely shifted from responding to military attack to dealing with emergencies and disasters in general. The new concept is characterised by a number of terms, each of which has its own specific shade of meaning, such as ''[[crisis management]]'', ''[[emergency management]]'', ''emergency preparedness'', ''[[Contingency plan|contingency planning]]'', ''civil contingency'', ''civil aid'' and ''civil protection''.

Some countries treat civil defense as a key part of defense in general. For example, [[total defence]] refers to the commitment of a wide range of national resources to defense, including the protection of all aspects of civilian life.

== History ==<!-- This section is linked from [[Joan Baez]] -->
<!--Use British spelling please -->

=== Origins ===

==== United Kingdom ====
[[File:It is far better to face the bullets.jpg|thumb|right|upright|British [[First World War]] poster, bringing attention to the threat posed by aerial bombardment from German [[Zeppelin]]s]]
The advent of civil defense was stimulated by the experience of the bombing of civilian areas during the [[First World War]]. The [[German strategic bombing during World War I|bombing of the United Kingdom]] began on 19 January 1915 when German [[zeppelin]]s dropped bombs on the [[Great Yarmouth]] area, killing six people. [[Germany|German]] bombing operations of the First World War were surprisingly effective, especially after the [[Gotha G|Gotha]] bombers surpassed the zeppelins. The most devastating raids inflicted 121 casualties for each [[ton]] of bombs dropped; this figure was then used as a basis for predictions.

After the war, attention was turned toward civil defense in the event of war, and the [[Air Raid Precautions]] Committee (ARP) was established in 1924 to investigate ways for ensuring the protection of civilians from the danger of [[Aerial bombing of cities#European theatre|air-raids]].

The Committee produced figures estimating that in [[London]] there would be 9,000 casualties in the first two days and then a continuing rate of 17,500 casualties a week. These rates were thought conservative. It was believed that there would be "total chaos and panic" and hysterical neurosis as the people of London would try to flee the city. To control the population harsh measures were proposed: bringing London under almost military control, and physically cordoning off the city with 120,000 troops to force people back to work. A different government department proposed setting up camps for [[refugee]]s for a few days before sending them back to London.

A special government department, the [[Civil Defence Service]], was established by the [[Home Office]] in 1935. Its remit included the pre-existing ARP as well as wardens, firemen (initially the [[Auxiliary Fire Service]] (AFS) and latterly the [[National Fire Service]] (NFS)), fire watchers, rescue, first aid post, stretcher party and industry. Over 1.9 million people served within the CD; nearly 2,400 died from enemy action.

[[File:StateLibQld 1 102384 Air Raid Warden testing new equipment in Brisbane, October 1942.jpg|thumb|left|[[Air Raid Precautions|Air Raid Warden]] testing his equipment in [[Brisbane]], Australia, in October 1942]]
The organization of civil defense was the responsibility of the local authority. Volunteers were ascribed to different units depending on experience or training. Each local civil defense service was divided into several sections. Wardens were responsible for local [[reconnaissance]] and reporting, and leadership, organization, guidance and control of the general public. Wardens would also advise survivors of the locations of rest and food centers, and other welfare facilities.

Rescue Parties were required to assess and then access bombed-out buildings and retrieve injured or dead people. In addition they would turn off [[fuel gas|gas]], [[electricity]] and [[water supply|water supplies]], and repair or pull down unsteady buildings. Medical services, including [[First Aid]] Parties, provided on the spot medical assistance.

The expected stream of information that would be generated during an attack was handled by 'Report and Control' teams. A local [[headquarter]]s would have an ARP controller who would direct rescue, first aid and [[decontamination]] teams to the scenes of reported bombing. If local services were deemed insufficient to deal with the incident then the controller could request assistance from surrounding [[borough]]s.

Fire Guards were responsible for a designated area/building and required to monitor the fall of [[incendiary bomb]]s and pass on news of any fires that had broken out to the NFS. They could deal with an individual [[Elektron (alloy)|magnesium alloy ("Elektron") incendiary bomb]] by dousing it with buckets of sand or water or by smothering. Additionally, 'Gas Decontamination Teams' kitted out with gas-tight and [[waterproof]] [[protective clothing]] were to deal with any [[gas attack]]s. They were trained to decontaminate buildings, roads, rail and other material that had been contaminated by liquid or jelly gases.

[[File:The Home Front in Britain during the Second World War HU36196.jpg|thumb|[[Anderson shelter]]s were widely distributed in the United Kingdom by civil defense authorities, in preparation for aerial bombardment.]]
Little progress was made over the issue of [[air-raid shelter]]s, because of the apparently irreconcilable conflict between the need to send the public underground for shelter and the need to keep them above ground for protection against gas attacks. In February 1936 the [[Home Secretary]] appointed a technical Committee on Structural Precautions against Air Attack. During the [[Munich crisis]], local authorities dug trenches to provide shelter. After the crisis, the British Government decided to make these a permanent feature, with a standard design of precast concrete trench lining. They also decided to issue the [[Anderson shelter]] free to poorer households and to provide steel props to create shelters in suitable basements.<ref>{{Citation|last=Baker|first=Lord John |author-link=John Baker, Baron Baker |year=1978 |title=Enterprise vs Bureaucracy – The Development of Structural Air Raid Precautions during the 2nd World War |publisher=Pergamon Press}}</ref>

During the [[Second World War]], the ARP was responsible for the issuing of [[WWII gas mask|gas mask]]s, pre-fabricated [[air-raid shelter]]s (such as [[Anderson shelter]]s, as well as [[Morrison shelter]]s), the upkeep of local public shelters, and the maintenance of the [[blackout (wartime)|blackout]]. The ARP also helped rescue people after air raids and other attacks, and some women became ARP Ambulance Attendants whose job was to help administer first aid to casualties, search for survivors, and in many grim instances, help recover bodies, sometimes those of their own colleagues.
[[File:JerusalemFW1940.jpg|thumb|Jewish Civil Defense group in [[Jerusalem]] in 1942. The group served as ARP Fire Wardens, equipped with water hoses and buckets, some wearing FW (Fire Watcher) [[Brodie helmet]]s. Men are in uniform while women wear plain clothes. Composer [[Josef Tal]] stands next to the woman with a black sweater.]]

As the war progressed, the military effectiveness of Germany's aerial bombardment was very limited. Thanks to the Luftwaffe's shifting aims, the strength of British air defenses, the use of early warning radar in combination with the [[Royal Observer Corps]], and the life-saving actions of local civil defense units, the aerial "Blitz" during the [[Battle of Britain]] failed to break the morale of the British people, destroy the [[Royal Air Force]] or significantly hinder British industrial production.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Britain-European-history-1940|title=Battle of Britain {{!}} European history [1940]|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=2018-10-07|language=en}}</ref> Despite a significant investment in civil and military defense, British civilian losses during the Blitz were higher than in most strategic bombing campaigns throughout the war. For example, there were 14,000-20,000 UK civilian fatalities during the Battle of Britain,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Warfare and armed conflicts : a statistical encyclopedia of casualty and other figures, 1492–2015|last=Clodfelter|first=Micheal|isbn=978-0-7864-7470-7|edition= Fourth|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|oclc=959922692|date = 2017-05-09}}</ref> a relatively high number considering that the [[Luftwaffe]] dropped only an estimated 30,000 tons of ordinance during the battle.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-33861431|title=How dangerous are unexploded bombs?|last=Leatherdale|first=Duncan|date=2015-08-11|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-10-07|language=en-GB}}</ref> Granted, this resulting 0.47-0.67 civilian fatalities per ton of bombs dropped was lower than the earlier 121 casualties per ton prediction. However, in comparison, Allied [[Strategic bombing during World War II|strategic bombing of Germany]] during the war proved slightly less lethal than what was observed in the UK,{{dubious|date=April 2024}} with an estimated 400,000-600,000 German civilian fatalities for approximately 1.35 million tons of bombs dropped on Germany,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/seventy-years-world-war-two-thousands-tons-unexploded-bombs-germany-180957680/|title=There Are Still Thousands of Tons of Unexploded Bombs in Germany, Left Over From World War II|last=Higginbotham|first=Adam|work=Smithsonian|access-date=2018-10-07|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://humanities.exeter.ac.uk/history/research/centres/warstateandsociety/projects/bombing/germany/|title=University of Exeter|last=Robinson|first=Debbie|website=humanities.exeter.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-10-07|archive-date=2018-10-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007183642/https://humanities.exeter.ac.uk/history/research/centres/warstateandsociety/projects/bombing/germany/|url-status=dead}}</ref> an estimated resulting rate therefore of 0.30-0.44 civilian fatalities per ton of bombs dropped.

==== United States ====
{{Main|United States civil defense}}
In the [[United States]], the [[Office of Civilian Defense]] was established in May 1941 to coordinate civilian defense efforts. It coordinated with the [[Department of the Army]] and established similar groups to the British ARP. One of these groups that still exists today is the [[Civil Air Patrol]], which was originally created as a civilian auxiliary to the [[US Army|Army]]. The CAP was created on December 1, 1941, with the main civil defense mission of search and rescue. The CAP also sank two Axis submarines and provided aerial reconnaissance for Allied and neutral merchant ships.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/about|title=History of Civil Air Patrol – Civil Air Patrol – United States Air Force Auxiliary}}</ref> In 1946, the Civil Air Patrol was barred from combat by [[Public Law 79-476]]. The CAP then received its current mission: search and rescue for downed aircraft. When the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] was created, in 1947, the Civil Air Patrol became the auxiliary of the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]].<ref>Texas Wing Civil Air Patrol 2014 Summer Encampment Standard Operating Instructions (SOI)</ref>

The [[Coast Guard Auxiliary]] performs a similar role in support of the [[United States Coast Guard|U.S. Coast Guard]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2016-05-14 |title=About the Coast Guard Auxiliary and District 11 Southern Region |url= http://www.d11s.org/modules/narrative.mod.php?story=ABOUT |work=United States Coast Guard Auxiliary -District 11 Southern Region |access-date= 2016-08-19}}</ref> Like the Civil Air Patrol, the Coast Guard Auxiliary was established in the run up to World War II. Auxiliarists were sometimes armed during the war, and extensively participated in port security operations. After the war, the Auxiliary shifted its focus to promoting boating safety and assisting the Coast Guard in performing search and rescue and marine safety and environmental protection.

In the United States a federal civil defense program existed under Public Law 920 of the 81st Congress,<ref name="PresidentRegister1958">{{cite book|author1=United States. President|author2=United States. Office of the Federal Register|title=Code of federal regulations: President|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7hMuAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA752|year=1958|publisher=Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration|pages=752–}}</ref> as amended, from 1951 to 1994. That statutory scheme was made so-called all-hazards by Public Law 103–160 in 1993 and largely repealed by Public Law 103–337 in 1994.<ref name="Nuclear Regulatory Commission2009">{{cite book|author=Nuclear Regulatory Commission (U S )|title=Nuclear Regulatory Legislation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lGfBYCVSlmMC&pg=PA52|date=July 2009|publisher=Government Printing Office|isbn=978-0-16-083614-5|pages=52–}}</ref> Parts now appear in Title VI of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 100-107 [1988 as amended].<ref name="Congress2009">{{cite book|author=Congress|title=United States Code, 2006, Supplement 1, January 4, 2007 to January 8, 2008|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W-D35f9c0aUC&pg=PA137|date=October 2009|publisher=Government Printing Office|isbn=978-0-16-083512-4|pages=137–}}</ref> The term EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS was largely codified by that repeal and amendment. See 42 USC Sections 5101 and following.<ref name="Congress2009" />

=== Post–World War II ===
{{See also|Leon Gouré}}

[[File:falloutprotection.jpg|thumb|Civil Defense literature, such as ''Fallout Protection'', was common during the [[Cold War]] era.]]
In most of the states of the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]], such as the [[United States]], the [[United Kingdom]] and [[West Germany]], as well as the [[Soviet Bloc]], and especially in the neutral countries, such as [[Switzerland]] and in [[Sweden]] during the 1950s and 1960s, many civil defense practices took place to prepare for the aftermath of a [[Nuclear warfare|nuclear war]], which seemed quite likely at that time.<ref>{{cite journal |last=McReynolds |first=David |title=Ralph DiGia, 1914–2008 |journal=The Catholic Worker |year=2008 |volume=LXXV |issue=March–April |pages=6}}</ref>

In the '''United Kingdom''', the [[Civil Defence Service]] was disbanded in 1945, followed by the ARP in 1946. With the onset of the growing [[Cold War|tensions between East and West]], the service was revived in 1949 as the [[Civil Defence Corps]]. As a civilian volunteer organization, it was tasked to take control in the aftermath of a major national emergency, principally envisaged as being a Cold War [[nuclear warfare|nuclear attack]]. Although under the authority of the [[Home Office]], with a centralized administrative establishment, the corps was administered locally by Corps Authorities. In general every [[counties of the United Kingdom|county]] was a Corps Authority, as were most [[county borough]]s in [[England and Wales]] and large [[burgh]]s in [[Scotland]].

Each division was divided into several sections, including the Headquarters, Intelligence and Operations, Scientific and Reconnaissance, Warden & Rescue, Ambulance and First Aid and Welfare.

In 1954 [[Coventry City Council]] caused international controversy when it announced plans to disband its Civil Defence committee because the councillors had decided that hydrogen bombs meant that there could be no recovery from a nuclear attack. The British government opposed such a move and held a provocative Civil Defence exercise on the streets of Coventry which Labour council members protested against.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Barnett |first=Nicholas |date=2015-07-03 |title='No protection against the H-bomb': press and popular reactions to the Coventry civil defence controversy, 1954 |journal=Cold War History |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=277–300 |doi=10.1080/14682745.2014.968558 |hdl=10026.1/9392 |s2cid=154550156 |issn=1468-2745|url=https://salford-repository.worktribe.com/output/1368263/no-protection-against-the-h-bomb-press-and-popular-reactions-to-the-coventry-civil-defence-controversy-1954 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200306090815/https://salford-repository.worktribe.com/output/1368263/no-protection-against-the-h-bomb-press-and-popular-reactions-to-the-coventry-civil-defence-controversy-1954 |archive-date=2020-03-06 |url-status=live }}</ref> The government also decided to implement its own committee at the city's cost until the council reinstituted its committee.

In the '''United States''', the sheer power of [[nuclear weapon]]s and the perceived likelihood of such an attack precipitated a greater response than had yet been required of civil defense. Civil defense,  previously considered an important and commonsense step, became divisive and controversial in the charged atmosphere of the [[Cold War]]. In 1950, the [[National Security Resources Board]] created a 162-page document outlining a model civil defense structure for the U.S.  Called the "Blue Book" by civil defense professionals in reference to its solid blue cover, it was the template for legislation and organization for the next 40 years.<ref>National Security Resources Board. United States Civil Defense. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), 1950. LCCN 51060552.</ref>

[[File:SurvivalUnderAtomicAttack.jpg|thumb|left|Civil Defense literature, such as [[Survival Under Atomic Attack]], was common during the Cold War Era.]]
Perhaps the most memorable aspect of the Cold War civil defense effort was the educational effort made or promoted by the government.<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Scheibach|editor1-first=Michael|title="In Case Atom Bombs Fall": An Anthology of Governmental Explanations, Instructions and Warnings from the 1940s to the 1960s|date=2009|publisher=McFarland & Company|location=Jefferson, NC|isbn=978-0-7864-4541-7}}</ref>  In ''[[Duck and Cover (film)|Duck and Cover]]'', [[Bert the Turtle]] advocated that children "[[duck and cover]]" when they "see the [[nuclear fireball|flash]]."  Booklets such as ''[[Survival Under Atomic Attack]]'', ''[[Fallout Protection]]'' and ''[[Nuclear War Survival Skills]]'' were also commonplace. The transcribed radio program [[Stars for Defense]] combined hit music with civil defense advice. Government institutes created [[public service announcements]] including children's songs and distributed them to radio stations to educate the public in case of nuclear attack.
[[File:US and USSR nuclear stockpiles.svg|thumb|The United States and [[Soviet Union]]/Russia nuclear stockpiles, in [[Historical nuclear weapons stockpiles and nuclear tests by country|total number of nuclear bombs/warheads in existence]] throughout the [[Cold War]] and post-Cold War era. However, total ''deployed'' US & "Russian"  strategic weapons (ready for use) were far less than this, reaching a maximum of about 10,000 apiece in the 1980s.<ref>[http://krepon.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/3524/worth-the-wait Hans M. Kristensen 2012, "Estimated US-Russian Nuclear Warhead Inventories 1977–2018.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112224012/http://krepon.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/3524/worth-the-wait |date=2015-01-12 }}"</ref>]]
The US [[President Kennedy]] (1961–63) launched an ambitious effort to install fallout shelters throughout the United States.  These shelters would not protect against the blast and heat effects of nuclear weapons, but would provide some protection against the radiation effects that would last for weeks and even affect areas distant from a nuclear explosion. In order for most of these preparations to be effective, there had to be some degree of warning. In 1951, [[CONELRAD]] (Control of Electromagnetic Radiation) was established. Under the system, a few primary stations would be alerted of an emergency and would broadcast an alert.  All broadcast stations throughout the country would be constantly listening to an upstream station and repeat the message, thus passing it from station to station.

In a once classified US [[Military simulation|war game]] analysis, looking at varying levels of war escalation, warning and pre-emptive attacks in the late 1950s early 1960s, it was estimated that approximately 27 million US citizens would have been saved with civil defense education.<ref name="nsarchive.gwu.edu">{{cite web| url = http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/nukevault/ebb480/docs/doc%2010A%201963.pdf| title = Net Evaluation Subcommittee. page 27}}</ref> At the time, however, the cost of a full-scale civil defense program was regarded as less effective in [[cost-benefit analysis]] than a [[ballistic missile defense]] ([[Nike Zeus]]) system, and as the Soviet adversary was increasing their [[nuclear stockpile]], the [[efficacy]] of both would follow a [[diminishing returns]] trend.<ref name="nsarchive.gwu.edu" />

Contrary to the largely noncommittal approach taken in [[NATO]], with its stops and starts in civil defense depending on the whims of each newly elected government, the military strategy in the comparatively more ideologically consistent [[USSR]] held that, amongst other things, a winnable nuclear war was possible.<ref name=Pipes>{{cite web |url=http://people.reed.edu/~ahm/Courses/Reed-POL-422-2012-S1_NP/Syllabus/EReadings/05.2/05.2.Pipes1977Why-the-Soviet-Union.pdf |title=Why the Soviet Union Thinks It Could Fight and Win a Nuclear War |author=Richard Pipes |publisher=Commentary [[Reed College]] |year=1977 |access-date=September 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214024826/http://people.reed.edu/~ahm/Courses/Reed-POL-422-2012-S1_NP/Syllabus/EReadings/05.2/05.2.Pipes1977Why-the-Soviet-Union.pdf |archive-date=December 14, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/63015546/Why-Russia-Thinks-It-Could-Fight-and-Win-a-Nuclear-War |title=Why the Soviet Union thinks it can fight and win a Nuclear War |author=Richard Pipes |magazine=Commentary |year=1977 |access-date=April 21, 2013 |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510102637/http://www.scribd.com/doc/63015546/Why-Russia-Thinks-It-Could-Fight-and-Win-a-Nuclear-War |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="gwu.edu">{{cite web|url=http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv//nukevault/ebb285 |title=Previously Classified Interviews with Former Soviet Officials Reveal U.S. Strategic Intelligence Failure Over Decades |editor1-last=Burr |editor1-first=William |editor2-last=Savranskaya |editor2-first=Svetlana |date=September 11, 2009 |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |access-date=April 21, 2013}}</ref> To this effect the [[Soviet]]s planned to minimize, as far as possible, the effects of nuclear weapon strikes on its territory, and therefore spent considerably more thought on civil defense preparations than in U.S., with defense plans that have been assessed to be far more effective than those in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/1977/mar-apr/dorough.html |title=Soviet Civil Defense U.S.S.R. preparations for industrial-base war survival. | author=Captain John W. Dorough Jr. |publisher=Air University Review, March–April 1977 |access-date=September 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217102003/http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/1977/mar-apr/dorough.html |archive-date=December 17, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url= http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/30948/john-c-campbell/war-survival-in-soviet-strategy-ussr-civil-defense |title=War Survival in Soviet Strategy: USSR Civil Defense |magazine=[[Foreign Affairs]] |author=Leon Gouré Reviewed by John C. Campbell |year=1977}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://people.reed.edu/~ahm/Courses/Reed-POL-422-2012-S1_NP/Syllabus/EReadings/05.2/05.2.Pipes1977Why-the-Soviet-Union.pdf |title=Why the Soviet Union Thinks It Could Fight and Win a Nuclear War |author=Richard Pipes |publisher=Commentary[[Reed College]] |year=1977 |access-date=September 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214024826/http://people.reed.edu/~ahm/Courses/Reed-POL-422-2012-S1_NP/Syllabus/EReadings/05.2/05.2.Pipes1977Why-the-Soviet-Union.pdf |archive-date=December 14, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[Was There a Real "Mineshaft Gap"? Bomb Shelters in the USSR, 1945–1962 Edward Geist doi.org/10.1162/JCWS_a_00219]</ref>

Soviet Civil Defense Troops played the main role in the massive disaster relief operation following the [[Chernobyl accident|1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident]]. Defense Troop [[reservists]] were officially [[mobilization|mobilized]] (as in a case of war) from throughout the USSR to join the Chernobyl task force and formed on the basis of the [[Kyiv]] Civil Defense Brigade. The task force performed some high-risk tasks including, with the failure of their robotic machinery, the manual removal of highly-[[radioactivity|radioactive]] debris. Many of their personnel were later [[Liquidator (Chernobyl)|decorated with medals for their work at containing the release of radiation into the environment]], with a number{{quantify|date=August 2015}} of [[Deaths due to the Chernobyl disaster|the 56 deaths from the accident]] being Civil defense troops.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.history.com/topics/1980s/chernobyl| title = Chernobyl: Disaster, Response & Fallout - HISTORY| date = 23 April 2021}}</ref>

[[File:Swiss Civil Defense Bunker (15710856390).jpg|thumb|The reinforced door of a [[fallout shelter]] of the civil protection in [[Switzerland]]. As of 2006, there were about 300,000 shelters in private and public buildings for a total of 8.6 million places, a level of coverage corresponding to 114% of the Swiss population.<ref name=SWI>{{in lang|fr}} Daniele Mariani, [http://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/a-chacun-son-bunker/7485678 "À chacun son bunker"], [[Swissinfo]], 23 October 2009 (page visited on 5 August 2015).</ref>]]

In Western countries, strong civil defense policies were never properly implemented, because it was fundamentally at odds with the doctrine of "[[mutual assured destruction]]" (MAD) by making provisions for survivors.{{dubious|date=December 2013}} It was also considered that a full-fledged total defense would have not been worth the very large expense. For whatever reason, the public saw efforts at civil defense as fundamentally ineffective against the powerful destructive forces of nuclear weapons, and therefore a waste of time and money, although detailed scientific research programs did underlie the much-mocked government civil defense pamphlets of the 1950s and 1960s.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-for-the-history-of-science/article/div-classtitlearchitects-of-armageddon-the-home-office-scientific-advisersandapos-branch-and-civil-defence-in-britain-194568a-hreffn01a-ref-typefnadiv/3AC9DA1E8F67CE3D0DE1726648F46884|title=Architects of Armageddon: the Home Office Scientific Advisers' Branch and civil defence in Britain, 1945–68†|journal=The British Journal for the History of Science|first=Melissa|last=Smith|date=1 June 2010|volume=43|issue=2|pages=149–180|via=Cambridge Core|doi=10.1017/S0007087409990392|s2cid=145729137|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

The [[Civil Defence Corps]] was stood down in Great Britain in 1968 due to the financial crisis of the mid-1960s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/iha-civil-defence/heag145-civil-defence-iha/ |title=Civil Defence: From the First World War to the Cold War |last=Thomas |first=Roger J.C. |date=October 2016 |publisher=Historic England |access-date=2021-04-01 |quote=Recruitment continued well into the 1960s, until the financial crisis of the mid 1960s resulted in the standing-down of the Civil Defence Corps in 1968.}}</ref><!-- N.B.: which crisis is this? The list of recessions in the UK has no recessions then other than a 2-quarter one in '61. --> Its neighbors, however, remained committed to Civil Defence, namely the [[Isle of Man Civil Defence Corps]] and [[Civil Defence Ireland]] (Ireland).

In the United States, the various civil defense agencies were replaced with the [[Federal Emergency Management Agency]] (FEMA) in 1979. In 2002 this became part of the [[Department of Homeland Security]]. The focus was shifted from nuclear war to an "all-hazards" approach of [[comprehensive emergency management]]. [[Natural disaster]]s and the emergence of new threats such as [[terrorism]] have caused attention to be focused away from traditional civil defense and into new forms of civil protection such as [[emergency management]] and [[homeland security]].

=== Today ===
Many [[Civil defense by country|countries]] maintain a national Civil Defence Corps, usually having a wide brief for assisting in large scale civil emergencies such as flood, earthquake, invasion, or civil disorder.

After the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001, in the United States the concept of civil defense has been revisited under the umbrella term of [[homeland security]] and all-hazards emergency management.

In [[Europe]], the triangle CD logo continues to be widely used. Created in 1939 by Charles Coiner of the N. W. Ayer Advertising Agency, it was used throughout World War II and the Cold War era. In the U.S., 2006 saw the retirement of the old triangle logo, to be replaced with a stylised ''EM'' (for [[emergency management]]). A reference to the old CD logo (without the red CD letters) can be seen above the eagle's head in the FEMA seal.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}  The name and logo continue to be used by [[Hawaii]] State Civil Defense<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scd.hawaii.gov/|title=Hawaii Emergency Management Agency|access-date=2010-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128021011/http://www.scd.hawaii.gov/|archive-date=2010-01-28|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Guam]] Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.guamhs.org/main/ |title=Guam Homeland Security &#124; Office of Civil Defense |access-date=2010-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204140231/http://www.guamhs.org/main/ |archive-date=2010-02-04 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> 

The term "civil protection" is currently widely used within the [[European Union]] to refer to government-approved systems and resources tasked with protecting the non-combat population, primarily in the event of natural and technological disasters. For example, the EU's humanitarian aid policy director on the Ebola Crisis, [[Florika Fink-Hooijer]], said that civil protection requires "not just more resources, but first and foremost better governance of the resources that are available including better synergies between humanitarian aid and civil protection".<ref>Fink-Hooijer, Florika (2015). ''Civil protection and humanitarian aid in the Ebola response: lessons for the humanitarian system from the EU experience''. Humanitarian Practice Network. pp. nr 64.</ref> In recent years there has been emphasis on preparedness for technological disasters resulting from terrorist attack. Within EU countries the term "crisis-management" emphasizes the political and security dimension rather than measures to satisfy the immediate needs of the population.

In Australia, civil defense is the responsibility of the volunteer-based [[State Emergency Service]]. In most former Soviet countries civil defense is the responsibility of governmental ministries, such as Russia's [[Ministry of Emergency Situations (Russia)|Ministry of Emergency Situations]].

== Importance ==
Relatively small investments in preparation can speed up recovery by months or years and thereby prevent millions of deaths by hunger, cold and disease.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kh4VLl1WgqgC&q=Relatively+small+investments+in+preparation+can+speed+up+recovery+by+months+or+years+and+thereby+prevent+millions+of+deaths+by+hunger,+cold+and+disease.&pg=PA288|title=Paramilitary Forces of India|last1=Sharma|first1=M. D.|last2=Sharma|first2=M. C.|date=2008|publisher=Gyan Publishing House|isbn=9788178357089|language=en}}</ref> According to [[human capital]] theory in [[economics]], a country's population is more valuable than all of the land, factories and other assets that it possesses. People rebuild a country after its destruction, and it is therefore important for the economic security of a country that it protect its people. According to [[psychology]], it is important for people to feel as though they are in control of their own destiny, and preparing for uncertainty via civil defense may help to achieve this.

In the United States, the federal civil defense program was authorized by statute and ran from 1951 to 1994. Originally authorized by Public Law 920 of the 81st Congress, it was repealed by Public Law 93–337 in 1994. Small portions of that statutory scheme were incorporated into the [[Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act|Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act]] (Public Law 100–707) which partly superseded in part, partly amended, and partly supplemented the [[Disaster Relief Act of 1974]] (Public Law 93-288). In the portions of the civil defense statute incorporated into the Stafford Act, the primary modification was to use the term "Emergency Preparedness" wherever the term "Civil Defence" had previously appeared in the statutory language.

An important concept initiated by President [[Jimmy Carter]] was the so-called "Crisis Relocation Program" administered as part of the federal civil defense program. That effort largely lapsed under President Ronald Reagan, who discontinued the Carter initiative because of opposition from areas potentially hosting the relocated population.<ref>See [http://www.fas.or/irp/offdocs/prm/prm32.pdf Presidential Review Memorandum/NSC-32]{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (September 30, 1977) and [https://fas.org/irp/offdocs/pd/pd41.pdf Presidential Decision Memorandum 42]</ref>

== Threat assessment ==

Threats to civilians and civilian life include NBC ([[Nuclear warfare|Nuclear]], [[Biological warfare|Biological]], and [[Chemical warfare]]) and others, like the more modern term [[CBRN]] (Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear). [[Threat assessment]] involves studying each threat so that preventative measures can be built into civilian life.

;Conventional: Refers to conventional explosives. A [[blast shelter]] designed to protect only from radiation and fallout would be much more vulnerable to conventional explosives. See also [[fallout shelter]].
;Nuclear: Shelter intended to protect against nuclear blast effects would include thick concrete and other sturdy elements which are resistant to conventional explosives. The biggest threats from a nuclear attack are effects from the blast, fires and radiation. One of the most prepared countries for a nuclear attack is [[Switzerland]]. Almost every building in Switzerland has an ''abri'' (shelter) against the initial nuclear bomb and explosion followed by the fall-out.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304231204576405700994655570?mod=WSJEUROPE_hpp_sections_world | work=The Wall Street Journal | first=Deborah | last=Ball | title=Swiss Renew Push for Bomb Shelters | date=2011-06-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6347519.stm | work=BBC News | first=Imogen | last=Foulkes | title=Swiss still braced for nuclear war | date=2007-02-10}}</ref> Because of this, many people use it as a safe to protect valuables, photos, financial information and so on. Switzerland also has air-raid and nuclear-raid sirens in every village.
;Dirty bomb: A "radiologically enhanced weapon", or "[[dirty bomb]]", uses an explosive to spread radioactive material. This is a theoretical risk, and such weapons have not been used by terrorists. Depending on the quantity of the radioactive material, the dangers may be mainly psychological. Toxic effects can be managed by standard [[dangerous goods|hazmat]] techniques.
;Biological: The threat here is primarily from disease-causing microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses.
;Chemical: Various chemical agents are a threat, such as [[nerve gas]] ([[VX (nerve agent)|VX]], [[Sarin]], and so on.).

== Stages ==

=== Mitigation ===
[[File:T38.jpg|thumb|right|Civil defense logo on an Air raid [[siren (alarm)|siren]] control box in [[Kansas]], US]]
[[File:Civil Defense Logo.JPG|thumb|Civil Defense logo on a [[Thunderbolt siren|Thunderbolt 1003]] siren]]

Mitigation is the process of actively preventing war or the release of [[nuclear weapon]]s. It includes policy analysis, diplomacy, political measures, [[nuclear disarmament]] and more military responses such as a [[National Missile Defense]] and [[air defense artillery]]. In the case of counter-terrorism, mitigation would include diplomacy, [[intelligence (information gathering)|intelligence]] gathering and direct action against terrorist groups. Mitigation may also be reflected in long-term planning such as the design of the [[interstate highway]] system and the placement of military bases further away from populated areas.

=== Preparation ===

Preparation consists of building [[blast shelter]]s and pre-positioning information, supplies, and emergency infrastructure. For example, most larger cities in the U.S. now have underground emergency operations centers that can perform civil defense coordination. FEMA also has many underground facilities for the same purpose located near major railheads such as the ones in [[Denton, Texas]] and [[Mount Weather]], Virginia.

Other measures would include continual government inventories of grain silos, the [[Strategic National Stockpile]], the uncapping of the [[Strategic Petroleum Reserve (United States)|Strategic Petroleum Reserve]], the dispersal of lorry-transportable bridges, water purification, mobile refineries, mobile de-contamination facilities, mobile general and special purpose disaster mortuary facilities such as [[Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team]] (DMORT) and [[DMORT-WMD]], and other aids such as temporary housing to speed civil recovery.

On an individual scale, one means of preparation for exposure to [[nuclear fallout]] is to obtain [[potassium iodide]] (KI) tablets as a safety measure to protect the human [[thyroid]] gland from the uptake of dangerous radioactive [[iodine]]. Another measure is to cover the nose, mouth and eyes with a piece of cloth and sunglasses to protect against [[alpha particle]]s, which are only an internal hazard.

To support and supplement efforts at national, regional and local level with regard to disaster prevention, the [[wikt:preparedness|preparedness]] of those responsible for civil protection and the intervention in the event of disaster
* To establish a framework for effective and rapid cooperation between different civil protection services when mutual assistance is needed (police, [[fire service]], [[healthcare]] service, [[public utility]] [[wikt:provider|provider]], voluntary agencies)
* To set up and implement training programs for intervention and coordination teams as well as assessment experts including joint courses and exchange systems
* To enhance the coherence of actions undertaken at international level in the field of civil protection, especially in the context of cooperation

Preparing also includes sharing information:
* To contribute to informing the public, in view of increasing citizens' level of self-protection
* To collect and disseminate validated emergency information
* To pool information on national civil protection capabilities, military and medical resources
* To ensure efficient information sharing between the different authorities

=== Response ===
Response consists first of warning civilians so they can enter [[fallout shelter]]s and protect assets.

Staffing a response is always full of problems in a civil defense emergency. After an attack, conventional full-time emergency services are dramatically overloaded, with conventional fire fighting response times often exceeding several days. Some capability is maintained by local and state agencies, and an emergency reserve is provided by specialized military units, especially [[Civil Affairs|civil affairs]], [[Military Police]], [[Judge Advocate]]s and [[combat engineer]]s.

However, the traditional response to massed attack on civilian population centers is to maintain a mass-trained force of volunteer emergency workers. Studies in [[World War II]] showed that lightly trained (40 hours or less) civilians in organised teams can perform up to 95% of emergency activities when trained, liaised and supported by local government. In this plan, the populace rescues itself from most situations, and provides information to a central office to prioritize professional emergency services.

In the 1990s, this concept was revived by the [[Los Angeles Fire Department]] to cope with civil emergencies such as [[earthquake]]s. The program was widely adopted, providing standard terms for organization. In the U.S., this is now official federal policy, and it is implemented by [[community emergency response team]]s, under the Department of Homeland Security, which certifies training programs by local governments, and registers "certified disaster service workers" who complete such training.


=== Recovery ===

Recovery consists of rebuilding damaged infrastructure, buildings and production. The recovery phase is the longest and ultimately most expensive phase. Once the immediate "crisis" has passed, cooperation fades away and recovery efforts are often politicized or seen as economic opportunities.

Preparation for recovery can be very helpful. If mitigating resources are dispersed before the attack, cascades of social failures can be prevented. One hedge against bridge damage in riverine cities is to subsidize a "tourist ferry" that performs scenic cruises on the river. When a bridge is down, the ferry takes up the load.

== Civil defense organizations ==
[[File:Roundel of the United States (1961–1972) – Civil Defense.svg|thumb|The old [[United States civil defense]] logo. The triangle emphasized the 3-step Civil Defense philosophy used before the foundation of FEMA and [[comprehensive emergency management]].]]

Civil Defense is also the name of a number of organizations around the world dedicated to protecting civilians from military attacks, as well as to providing rescue services after natural and human-made disasters alike.

Worldwide protection is managed by the [[United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs]] ([[OCHA]]).

In a few countries such as [[Jordan]] and [[Singapore]] (see [[Singapore Civil Defence Force]]), civil defense is essentially the same organization {{clarify|date=February 2013}} as the [[fire brigade]]. In most countries, however, civil defense is a government-managed, volunteer-staffed organization, separate from the fire brigade and the [[ambulance]] service.

As the threat of Cold War eased, a number of such civil defense organizations have been disbanded or mothballed (as in the case of the [[Royal Observer Corps]] in the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[United States civil defense]]), while others have changed their focuses into providing rescue services after natural disasters (as for the [[State Emergency Service]] in [[Australia|Australian states]]). However, the ideals of Civil Defense {{clarify|date=February 2013}} have been brought back in the [[United States]] under FEMA's [[Citizen Corps]] and [[Community Emergency Response Team]] (CERT).

In the [[United Kingdom]] Civil Defence work is carried out by Emergency Responders under the [[Civil Contingencies Act 2004]], with assistance from voluntary groups such as [[RAYNET]], [[Search and Rescue]] Teams and [[4x4 Response]]. In [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], the [[Civil Defence Ireland|Civil Defence]] is still very much an active organization and is occasionally called upon for its Auxiliary Fire Service and ambulance/rescue services when emergencies such as [[flash flooding]] occur and require additional manpower. The organization has units of trained [[firemen]] and [[medical responder]]s based in key areas around the country.

=== By country ===
{{Main|Civil defense by country}}

== See also ==
{{cmn|
* [[The American Civil Defense Association]]
* [[French Civil Protection]]
* [[Blast shelter]]
* [[Civil Defense geiger counters|Civil-defense Geiger counters]]
* [[Civil defense siren]]
* [[Collective protection]]
* [[Continuity of government]]
* [[Critical infrastructure protection]]
* [[Effects of nuclear explosions on human health]]
* [[Emergency management]]
* [[Fallout shelter]]
* [[International Civil Defence Organization]]
* [[Mass fatality incident]]
* [[State Council of Civil Defense]]
*[[List of civil defense ranks]]
}}
'''General:'''
* [[Nuclear warfare]]
* [[Nuclear holocaust]]
* [[Nuclear terrorism]]
* [[Human security]]
* [[Industrial antiterrorism]]
* [[Infrastructure security]]
* [[Survivalism]]
* [[Weapon of mass destruction]]

== Notes and references ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Civil defense}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050409033042/http://www.civilprotection.gr/ Greece]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130117053551/http://cp-bg.org/snimki/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=10 Large gallery of Bulgaria's Civil Defense Mechanization]<small>(archived link)</small>
* [http://www.thetimechamber.co.uk/sites/Civil/Civil.php The UK Civil Defence Project – History & Photos] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125193406/http://www.thetimechamber.co.uk/Sites/Civil/Civil.php |date=2010-01-25 }}
* [http://ncdcnagpur.nic.in/ National Civil Defence College, Nagpur INDIA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212075628/http://ncdcnagpur.nic.in/ |date=2009-02-12 }}
* [http://www.qrz.com/db/AT7CD Special Event Amateur Ham Radio Station operated from Bangalore, INDIA]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060508140212/http://www.protezionecivile.it/ Protezione Civile] Italian Civil Defense
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140211154530/http://www.dublincivildefence.com/ Dublin Civil Defence] Ireland
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090607080955/http://www.sebev.co.uk/ SEBEV Search and Rescue] (originally a Civil Defence team in the UK)
* [http://www.proteccioncivil.org/ Civil Protection] ([[Ministry of Interior]], [[Spain]]).
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190125231819/http://proteccioncivilvillena.es/ Civil Protection Villena – Spain]
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/01/washington/01civil.html Civil Defense Logo dies at 67, and Some Mourn its Passing], ''The New York Times'', 1 December 2006 by David Dunlap.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131206142617/http://www.civildefensemuseum.com/ Cold War Era Civil Defense Museum] – Features much historical information about Civil Defense history, its equipment and methods, and many historical photographs and posters.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060429013823/http://alsos.wlu.edu/qsearch.aspx?browse=issues%2FCivil+Defense Annotated bibliography for civil defense from the Alsos Digital Library for Nuclear Issues]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140125113613/http://www.tacda.org/ The American Civil Defense Association]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100611150837/http://www.backcountrysecrets.com/point/33/Civil-Defense-Caves-Idaho.aspx Civil Defense Caves] – Cold War community getaway in case of nuclear war located in Idaho
* [http://www.jumpjet.info/Emergency-Preparedness/index.htm Comprehensive Emergency Management Reference Material Repository] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140131142313/http://www.jumpjet.info/Emergency-Preparedness/index.htm |date=2014-01-31 }}
* [http://www.ready.gov/ Ready.gov] – The official preparedness site of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050514021001/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jimbonet/cd_history.html "Civil Defence"] – A site with details of the UK's Civil Defence preparations, including those implemented during the Cold War such as the ''Burlington'' Central Government War HQ., at Corsham, Wiltshire.
* [http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/section.asp?catId=2341 Emergency Planning in Lincolnshire] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060519071543/http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/section.asp?catId=2341 |date=2006-05-19 }}
* [http://www.civildefence.ie/ The official Civil Defence site for the Republic of Ireland]
* [http://www.defesacivil.sp.gov.br/ The official Civil Defense site of São Paulo State – Brazil] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060902120154/http://www.defesacivil.sp.gov.br/ |date=2006-09-02 }}
* [http://www.oism.org/ddp/ Doctors for Disaster Preparedness]
* [http://www.physiciansforcivildefense.org/ Physicians for Civil Defense]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070713040620/http://denkvooruit.crisis.nl/english/ Dutch civil defense instructions in English]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170105151758/http://www.emergencymanagement.org.uk/ Emergency Management Portal] – online resources for emergency planners and managers
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140112073314/http://www.sivilforsvaret.no/ The Norwegian Civil Defence]
* [http://www.thw.de/EN/Homepage/homepage_node.html German Federal Agency for Technical Relief] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140511014238/http://www.thw.de/EN/Homepage/homepage_node.html |date=2014-05-11 }} – THW Technisches Hilfswerk

{{Civil defence}}
{{Subterranea}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Civil defense| ]]
[[Category:Emergency management]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1948]]
[[Category:1948 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Home front]]
[[nl:Burgerbescherming]]