NEAFC 32nd Annual Conference.pdf - New England Association of ...

[ENGLAND" ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CI-IIEFS
Let me say I get a call in the afternoon from the Civil Defense. First,
we go to. the Fire Station. Then to City Hall, and then we iind out. that the
Civil Defense is directing the operations. Well, we started in under their
direction, and.finally, we got off by ourselves, and got to places, where we
really were needed.
I do feel that Fire and Police Departments, in case of emergency, are in a
position where, from their experience in emergency situations, they can carry
on, and I do feel that perhaps in case of a war emergency, Civil Defense
should come in, but it certainly ~dogs." the Fire Chief.
The Civil Defense Director may be a druggist, or in some other occupa-~
tion, and I think that the Fire Chiefs should s~tand up in their own shoes, and
in case of disaster, they should be on their own, and without the aid o~ the
Civil Defense.
MODERATOR WOOLLEY: It is very refreshing to have observations of that
kind; that is what we are here for. I appreciate your remarks.
Only a few days ago, at our nation-wide tests., I had the darndest time,
where we are supposed to alert the Fire Service in the seven-county support
area. New York City was all cleared, and it was all cleared up through the
White Plains section. Of course, that was a paper exercise, and we were supposed
to do all of that work, without credit for the Fire Service.
In some counties, States and cities of this nation, they directed circulars
and other material going out to all Civil Defense personnel, practically ignoring
the Fire Service; you wouldn’t know that they were in the Civil Defense
picture.
. That, however, is a local, regrettable picture, and I don’t think that it
exists, nationally. I think that we are going to. see continued improvement,
because, now, the Fire Service is reorganized, in a way, and Kyle Laughlin and
the new Director working down there, I believe, have our interests at heart,
and I am sure that the Fire .Advisory Council, under the direction, to some
extent, o£ Chief Henry Thomas, who is. here, will assure you that the Fire
Service is going to have its place, as was stated in the N. F. P. A. News Letter
recently.
This is something that we could debate for a long time, and perhaps
every one of us. has a little peeve that he might add to the picture. However,
I would like to keep those little peeves out of a discussion of this. kind, unless
it could be constructive.
However, if any one has a constructive thought perhaps along the lines
that Chief Eames spoke, we would be glad to have it brought up now.
Kyle Laughlin is with us, and he might like to take our thoughts back
with him. I will throw this matter open to discussion by anybody who wants
to speak about it. And don’t be backward about coming ~orward.
CHIEF KIMBALL Of Hingham: Mr~ Moderator, as ’a Fire Chief, I say
definitely "No" but as a Civil Defense Director, that is different. The Acts
of 1950 specifically set out what the Civil Defense will participate in, as well
as the Acts. on Sabotage.
I agree with Chief Eames that my Department will have to go on it,
but I think that when you get right down to brass tacks, the Civil Defense
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