Is there still a Civil Defense?

[kirch]

I was paging through an old magazine and saw an article about the Civil Defense. It got me to thinking -- is the Civil Defense still around?

I'm aware of a Civil Air Patrol, but I'm not sure what they do or if they are somehow connected.

[Jim Burnes]

They have evolved into a crisis management centers often called: Emergency Centers.

Jim Burnes

[ateamer]

Civil Air Patrol is the auxiliary arm of the USAF. They fly search missions for downed or missing aircraft and the cadets help with keeping people behind the lines at airshows and also with parking control.

[shooter1201]

During the fall of 1999, I ran across a few guys(they looked VERY military with their Danner boots and blue flight suits on) running around in NEW Chevy pickups bearing the Civil Defense logo....

[Bryce Jr.]

Civil Defence was moved out of military in the 50's. They got shuffled around a bit and from what I can gather they are now called the Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP). Don't do much but work with National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). And as a group they work with FEMA and the DOD. Of course I have not really done a good amount of research so if anyone wants to correct me go ahead.

But yes, the CAP is still in operation. CAP is the auxillary to the Air Force and are civilian volunteers.

[DMS 525]

LOL My Dad was in the Civil Defense back in the late 60's, in this small city we lived in. Main mission was disaster work, like in the event a tornado hit the town and did major damage. Each man was issued a surplus military helmet liner, painted white, with the CD logo on it, and a wooden nightstick, which I think used to be Navy issue(I still have that!).

A few years later, we moved to the rural area, and he volunteered his services as a storm spotter for the county Civil Defense. What they wanted were people with CB radio base units, who could radio the Sheriff's Dispatch. Each volunteer was assigned an ID number, and it really was a good thing.

I think these days, the Civil Defense has given way for the most part to reserve units in police and Sheriff departments, and the National Guard has been used quite liberally in the last few years for disaster work.

God bless those who want to volunteer their services, such as my Dad, but there were just as many glory hunting idiots getting involved, who could make a disaster much more worse.