Civil Defense & the library, 1962

In going through some old files from the library director's office recently the archivist ran across some documents from 1962 having to do with civil defense and the library (this was when the library was in what now is Rakov; Drake wasn't built until the mid-1970s.) Here are some excerpts from a document concerning a meeting with Colonel Abbott, director of the county Office of Civil Defense on fall out shelters in the college.

A Civil Defense survey of college facilities recommends that 204 people be assigned to shelters in the library basement. When the shelter program is set up there will be a course offered in shelter living...

In case of a warning students should take time to think up essential items, such as bedding and clothing and take them into the shelter. We should also plan on not having electric power. The immediate plan will be to get students to the assigned shelter areas as soon as possible. We may have as much as 40 minutes before fall-out hits the area.

The first two days are considered the critical period. After that enough of the fall out has dissipated so that it would be safe to send out one person for emergency supplies...

If you're interested in the Cold War, we have many good books on the subject, see our catalog. Academic Search Complete and America: History and Life would be excellent article databases for such research. If you'd like to research the college in the Cold War, such as depicted here, contact the college archivist, Charlie Cowling, ccowling@brockport.edu. The Stylus in microfilm on the ground floor would be a good start, and there is an index to the Stylus online.