hclib:Minneapolis Civil Defense, 1953During the Cold War of the 1950s, nuclear war seemed imminent.
hclib:Minneapolis Civil Defense, 1953During the Cold War of the 1950s, nuclear war seemed imminent. The Minneapolis Office of Civil Defense, like similar offices nationwide, was responsible for readying a local response to a nuclear disaster. To ensure that the city and its residents were prepared for whatever the Cold War might bring, the Office of Civil Defense mobilized a vast hierarchy of paid and volunteer wardens–Chief Warden, Assistant Chief Wardens, Zone Wardens, District Wardens, Section Wardens, Block Wardens, and even Building Wardens. Volunteer Block Wardens were central to the city’s plan, and this 1953 Warden Manual explained their role.Each of the 5,800 Block Wardens needed in Minneapolis was expected to be the expert on his or her neighborhood and its defense. Block Wardens created detailed censuses and maps of their blocks (example forms are included in the manual), and they were trained in first aid, fire prevention and firefighting, and defense against atomic and biological warfare. Thanks to this training, Block Wardens could instruct their neighbors on additional preparations for attack, such as the proper construction of “home shelters,” like those pictured in their manual.With the waning of the Cold War, the urgency of civil defense preparations diminished. Today, the Minneapolis Office of Emergency Management helps residents prepare for unexpected emergencies.Warden Manual from the Special Collections Vertical Files and available for use in the Hennepin County Library Special Collections Department. -- source link
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