S1, E6: Civil Defense to Emergency Management

In this episode, we speak with our OEM Director, Larry Woods, and our Deputy Director, Darren White, about emergency management’s history in civil defense. In its most basic form, civil defense is the organization and training of civilians to be prepared for attacks in wartime. Civil defense efforts in the 20th Century began during World War I and World War II and reached an apex during the Cold War. After a series of natural and man-made disasters in the 1960s and 1970s, civil defense funding and preparation efforts began to take on the all-hazards disaster approach we use today. Eventually, this shift to all-hazards “emergency management” gave birth to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local emergency management offices like OEM. Tune in and learn about this rich and fascinating piece of history!

FEMA Nuclear Explosion Guidance: https://www.ready.gov/nuclear-explosion

Website: Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management