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TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
UTILIZING NTS AND OTHER NEARBY LOCATIONS

Civil Defense Training and Technical Programs

‘

Participation by the Federal Civil Defense Administration in

nuclear test activities began in 1951, the year in which the agency

was established, and has continued in each test series at Nevada
and in the Pacific.

The first civil defense participation in the fall of 1951 was

limited to a brief course in radiolcgical monitoring for a few FCDA
staff members, and to a limited test of home shelters. In April
1952, FCDA took part in the first Nevada "open shot", to which uncleared observers and news media representatives were invited. The
shot also was the first to be televised. Technical participation
by FCDA was limited to a study project on radiological defense.
By the time of the spring 1953 series, FCJA had established a
test cperations staff and had developed programs to meet all agency
objectives. FCDA technical programs in the "open shot" for that
series included tests of typical American residences, home shelters,
air zero locators, radiological defense instruments, drugs, structural components, and automobiles. Private industry joined in providing materials and objects to be submitted to the nuclear blast,
and in evaluating results. More than 600 civil defense and newsmedia observers witnessed the detonation. In addition, a series of
radiological defense courses for State and local radiological defense personnel was begun, and the training offered has proved
valuable in developing leaders in this field, Many who have undergone training now are chief radiological defense officers of the
civil defense system.

Major FCDA participation was involved in the spring 1955 series

"open shot'', including an extensive technical test program with much
cooperation by private industry. Tests were conducted on various
types of residences, shelters designed to withstand high blast pressures, emergency above~ground shelters, several kinds of emergency
vehicles, railroad facilities, chemical and other storage facilities,
radio and electronics equipment, public utility facilities, foodstuffs, fabrics, house trailers, commercial metal buildings, and
other objects, materials, and instruments. More than 500 civil defense specialists*took part in extensive exercises in mass feeding,
communications, police, fire, sanitation, medical, welfare and
other public services, Civil Air Patrol activities, and command and
control techniques. A small group of the participants, including
women, experienced the detonation in a trench in a forward position.
More than 1,200 attended the program for indoctrination of civil
defense officials.
Despite delays that postponed the shot for 12
days from April 26 to May 5, about 500 observers stayed on and
witnessed the-detonation.

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