Office of Civilian Defense Publications

A large number of publications, memoranda, textbooks and handbooks were issued by the Office of Civilian Defence (OCD) between 1941 and 1945. Each of the service units had a handbook written specifically for the unit’s workings (for example, Air Raid Wardens and First Aid).

The handbooks provide an overview of working for the unit and the responsibilities placed upon volunteers joining that particular civil defense unit.

The first handbook issued was for Air Raid Wardens and was published in October 1941. The purpose of the handbook is to instruct the enrolled civilian defense worker in their duties and to serve as a reference.

Publications issued by the Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) fell into five classes.

1) Planning Guides or Manuals, of which six had been issued by October 1941. These publications were for the guidance of responsible executive officers and contain outlines of general procedure in the civilian defense program. Those issued were:

  • Local Organization for Civilian Protection.

  • Emergency Medical Service for Civilian Defense.

  • Protection of Industrial Plants and Public Buildings.

  • A Civilian Defense Volunteer Office.

  • Enrolled Volunteer Worker Groups for Civilian Defense.

  • Air Raid Warning System.

2) Memoranda, of which one—on Municipal Signalling Systems—was distributed October 1941. The memoranda were primarily technical publications and designed for limited distribution to executives and professional consultants.

  • Glass and Glass Substitutes.

  • Report of Bomb Tests on Materials and Structures.

3) Textbooks, containing a complete exposition of one particular phase of civilian defense and prepared by a recognized authority on the subject. The handbooks already contained key facts from the textbooks. Three textbooks:

  • Protection against Gas.

  • Fire Protection in Civilian Defense.

  • First Aid in the Prevention and Treatment of Chemical Casualties.

4) Handbooks dedicated to units of the Citizens Defense Corps, By July 1940, 10 handbook had been published:

  • Handbook for Air Raid Wardens. 6o pages

  • Handbook for Auxiliary Firemen. 94 pages

  • Handbook for Decontamination Squads. 62 pages

  • Handbook for Demolition and Clearance Crews. 52 pages

  • Handbook for Fire Watchers. 52 pages

  • Handbook of First Aid. 72 pages

  • Handbook for Messengers. 44 pages

  • Handbook for Rescue Squads. 56 pages

  • Handbook for Road Repair Crews. 44 pages

  • Staff Manual. Duties of headquarters staff. 7 pages

5) Civilian Instruction Pamphlets, which were intended for the use of all civilians and which contained the simplest possible instruction in civilian defense methods.

  • What To Do in an Air Raid.

  • Meet Your Air Raid Warden.

Collection of military and civil defense manuals and pamphlets, including titles such as 'The United States Citizens Defense Corps,' 'Demolition and Clearance Crews,' 'Protection Against Gas,' and 'First Aid.'