US Civil Defense Control

Civil Defense is one of the most necessary components of the US defense strategy. The organizational structure of the US Civil Defense has been formed since the early days of World War II.

During World War II many countries such as Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan and others were forced to turn to civilian groups to prepare for and to combat air attacks. Volunteers were trained in fire fighting, in evacuation of children from target cities. They had to render police assistance and to provide welfare services for homeless. The United States, realizing its vulnerability to air attacks, established the Office of Civilian Defense in March 1941. The main function of this Office was to provide leadership in the organization of protective services in the US States and cities.

At the end of World War II the civilian defense office was no longer deemed necessary. At the beginning of the Korean situation, however, it was re-established but on a much broader basis. The term " civilian" has been shortened to " civil" which is more inclusive, covering industries, homes, communities, as well as civilians. With the addition of natural disaster relief responsibilities, Civil Defense has become a continuing governmental operation.

As a more permanent Federal Program Civil Defense had been established by 1951. The Act, known as the Federal Civil Defense Act, created the Federal Office of Civil Defense organic to the Department of Defense. Federal Office of Civil Defense lately renamed into Defense Civil Preparedness Agency was to minimize the effects of possible attacks upon the United States. In January 1953 it was charged with the additional responsibility to coordinate the activity of all Federal agencies in natural disaster relief and to provide possible assistance to State in time of crises.

In 1979 the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency was taken out of the Department of Defense and FEMA was founded. It was controlled by the Director of FEMA and subordinated to the President has been founded on its base.

In 2003 FEMA became a part of the newly formed Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Some years later, after Hurricane Katrina of 2005, the agency became the Federal Emergency Management Agency again.

At present FEMA includes several agencies, such as the Control and Preparedness Agency, Natural Disaster Relief Agency, Fire Security Agency, Insurance Agency, Emergency Control Institute, Calculated Centre, etc.

To provide successful civil defense control over the country, the territory of the USA has been divided into 10 districts. Each district including from four to eight States has its own civil defense headquarters (HQ). The main responsibility of HQ is to provide civil defense measures in their districts, states and cities and to organize the restoration of the destroyed facilities.