New York State War Council Office of Civilian Protection Director's Correspondence with Local Civilian Protection Organizations

Alphabetical by city or county.

This series contains correspondence between the Director of the Office of Civilian Protection and officers of local civilian protection organizations concerning the administration of civil defense programs in order to coordinate the protection of life and property from possible bomb attacks. The letters discuss procedural and organizational issues.

Civil defense topics such as air raid drills, sabotage, blackouts, observation posts and airplane spotters, and communication methods are discussed, and organizational issues such as personnel changes, funding, and regulations are detailed. Some county directors included monthly reports detailing their unit's activities. Many letters were requests for civil defense pamphlets published by the War Council or the federal government, but distributed by the Office of Civilian Protection. Correspondence with civil defense organizations in Maryland and Michigan is also found.

During the early part of the war, many letters detail blackouts: scheduling, communication between civil protection directors, regulations, results, and local directors' frustration with the few number of practices held. Near the war's end, questions regarding the appropriateness of continued civil defense activities are discussed.

The letters were signed by Director William N. Haskell, his successor Edward C. O. Thomas, or one of their assistants.

Microform is available at the New York State Archives through interlibrary loan.

Folder list is available at the repository.

This series was originally accessioned as boxes 353-356 of old collection #77, accession -71.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.