Proper design can In times of disaster, natural or man-made, people need shelter. Every building is some form of shelter from most of the elements. also provide the following additional desirable features. 2. 1. High wind resistance from tornados and hurricanes. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Shielding to exclude unwanted noise. Strength to resist the blast effects of nuclear weapons. Fire resistance from all sources. Reducing vulnerability to vandalism. For years, those responsible for civil defense at the national level have only been charged with the responsibility of providing protection from the effects of nuclear weapons. Because of budgetary limitations and other constraints, this protection was further limited to radiation shielding from fallout. Fallout protection is also the most easily achievable safety feature to incorporate in new building designs. Due to the intensive DCPA professional development program for architects and engineers in the 60's, it is now one of the easiest safety features to evaluate in existing buildings. With the advent of the Disaster Relief Act of 1970, Congress and the Administration directed more attention to the prevention or minimization of loss of life due to major natural disasters. The excellent DCPA technical capabilities utilized to (1) survey existing buildings for their fallout protection and (2) influence the design of new buildings to include better shielding are now being directed toward achieving safety from multi-effects-both natural and man made, including on a lesser scale, blast and fire resulting from nuclear weapons. Accordingly, the National Shelter Survey and related advisory services and professional development programs are being further expanded to include data collection and analysis for determining safe areas from all types of disasters in general but selectively assessing each building based on its vulnerability or risk to disasters having a high probability of occurring in the location of the survey. Fallout radiation resulting from nuclear detonations is of three types- alpha, beta and gamma. Alpha and beta rays have limited penetrating power and usually injure human beings only when the particles are ingested or come into contact with the skin. Such effects are not a major threat to life as is the case with gamma radiation. Gamma rays are highly penetrating and protection against them requires that solid materials be placed between the source of the ray and human beings. For instance, an earth barrier cover three feet thick will reduce fallout gamma radiation to 1/1000 of the unshielded value. Analyses of the results of Defense Department studies indicate that the hazard outside of those areas nearly totally destroyed by blast and heat effects would result in exposure of the surviving population to an effective radiation dose on the order of 8000r (r = roentgen, the unit of measure of radiation) or less. A reduction of this hazard to 1/40th (Protection Factor of 40) would save the lives of more than 90% of the people who would otherwise die from the effects of fallout radiation. This Protection Factor of 40 (PF-40) will provide adequate protection against lethal fallout radiation hazards of nuclear attacks which might occur over the next few years, and studies of much larger attacks indicate this protection factor will continue to be effective in reducing potential fatalities. Accordingly, a Protection Factor of 40 has been established as the minimum standard of protection for all public fallout shelters. In addition to the quality of shelter spaces required to meet the potential threat, consideration must be given to the type of shelter to be provided and its location. There are two principal types of shelter: (1) group shelter; and (2) home or family shelter. A National Fallout Shelter Survey (NFSS) was started in late 1961 to locate potential public fallout shelter space in the event of an attack. By June 30, 1972, this survey located potential public fallout shelter space for 212.6 million people in over 217,000 structures throughout the Nation which would meet DOD shelter standards and accommodate 50 or more persons. Many of these spaces are not well located in relation to the resident population. In addition, many are located in areas at high risk from the blast and fire effects of nuclear weapons. A second part of the survey program is the important step of obtaining signed licenses or privilege agreements from building owners. The license authorizes temporary access by the public to specific shelter space in emergencies. It also authorizes placement and maintenance of shelter signs, storage of shelter provisions in the facility, and inspection by Federal and local government officials. As of June 30, 1972, approximately 129,200 buildings had been licensed. The survey was expanded in FY 1966 to identify fallout protection in buildings, other than 1, 2 and 3 family homes, that might accommodate 10 to 49 persons in areas of unfilled shelter requirements where a Community Shelter Plan was scheduled. As of June 30, 1972, this segment of the NFSS, has located PF 40 or better space for about 2.6 million people in about 110,500 facilities. Prior to FY 1970, the survey was performed exclusively by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, either as an in-house effort or by contracting with Architect and Engineering firms. Starting with the summer of 1969, Defense Civil Preparedness Agency embarked on a "summer hire" program wherein specially qualified college students working under the supervision of government architects or engineers were employed on a national basis to perform survey work in the NFSS program. A nationwide training effort was implemented by the DCPA through courses offered on college campuses by qualified DCPA instructors. Special permission was obtained from the Civil Service Commission to hire architectural and engineering students who were qualified by taking and passing these courses. The program has been a successful one and has been repeated each year since its inception. The Corps of Engineers and Naval Facilities Engineering Command continue its survey work on an aroundthe-year basis with primary emphasis on supervision of summer-hires from May through September. Funds available in FY 1973 and those requested in FY 1974 will provide for continuing the shelter survey updating operation as carried out by the CE/NAVFAC field offices utilizing summer-hire students for field survey work and preparation of shielding analysis forms under the supervision of Army and Navy analysts. The analysts complete the survey operation by reviewing the computer printouts together with the field notes and sketches to prepare final shelter sketches and data collection forms. In addition, these analysts accomplish surveys on an individual basis as time permits. In addition, during FY 1974, a small scale All (Nuclear) Effects Survey (1,600 facilities) will be implemented by approximately four of the CE/NAVFAC field offices in areas of high risk. This will be the field test for the system developed during FY 1973. A pilot test of the natural disaster survey procedure will also be undertaken (800 facilities) in several areas dependent upon the risk in that particular area (hurricane, earthquake, etc.). As with the All (Nuclear) Effects Survey, work may be limited to data gathering initially, while the analysis system.is finalized. Effective with FY 1970, contracts were initiated with selected State Civil Defense offices for the performance by the State of survey work and related engineering advisory services support. The transfer of this performance responsibility from the Federal level to the States is in keeping with the guideline that primary responsibility for providing disaster protection to our Nation is at the State and local level. State contracts are tailored to meet the needs of the individual State and may or may not include both functions, depending upon the needs of the State involved. It is anticipated that the program will be continued during FY 1974 for the following States: Arizona Florida Hawaii Montana New Hampshire Oklahoma South Carolina Tennessee Utah Virginia District of Columbia It is estimated that the States will survey approximately 2,800 structures providing a net of .9 million PF 40+ spaces and 1.0 million PF 10-39 spaces. This program is administered by DCPA through contractual arrangements with the Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Navy Civil Engineers Corps Officers School. Under these contractual arrangements: (1) engineering guidance on Emergency Operating Centers including plans, specifications, and cost estimates are reviewed and inspections made on completed projects; (2) technical assistance and guidance is provided to State engineers involved in advisory services, shelter survey, and other engineering services as may be required by State and local jurisdictions; and (3) liaison is maintained with the Civil Engineer Corps Officers School which conducts special courses for providing protection from nuclear as well as natural disasters. Funds in the amount of $802,000 are being requested for FY 1974 to: a. Continue engineering services to State and local political subdivisions to provide for emergency operating centers. Funds required for maintaining 30 Corps of Engineers positions including salary, personal benefits, and travel are. $762,000 b. Continue coordination with U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps $40,000 Officers School...... The objectives of this program, which is implemented through the Direct Mail Shelter Development System (DMSDS), are to: a. Provide a systematic method of contacting architects and building owners of new building projects at the time the architect is selected. b. Encourage these individuals to consider the incorporation of protection from nuclear as well as natural disasters. c. Advise them of the availability of technical assistance to incorporate such protection into the design of the new project. Advisors from the advisory service centers, located at a university or State civil defense office, provide the desired technical guidance to the architect. This project provides for the procurement of commercially available reports which identify the building owner, the architect, and the project location so that protective features can be considered when the design is begun. Funds for procurement of envelopes and printing of letters and other DMSDS items are also included. It is estimated that approximately 200,000 reports will be screened during FY 1974 and 6,000 projects selected for contact through DMSDS. 5. UNIVERSITY ENGINEERING BA $332,982 $900,000 $855,000 (855,000) This project encompasses the University Advisory Service Centers that provide technical guidance and assistance to architects involved in the design of new buildings on ways to achieve protection from nuclear and natural disasters. Flexibility in the contracts with the Universities also permits them to provide other technical support to the State Civil Defense Coordinators as required. This project does not include those advisory centers that are located at State civil defense offices. It is envisioned that, with the application of risk criteria to the DMSDS program, fallout protection as well as natural disaster protection will be emphasized for those projects located in low nuclear risk areas. For those projects to be located in medium or high risk areas, action will be initiated to provide advice on obtaining protection from all nuclear weapons effects rather than only fallout and natural disaster protection. Funds in the amount of $855,000 are requested for FY 1974 to continue contracting with approximately 22 universities to provide the appropriate technical assistance to the building designers. For the most part, requests for university advisory services during FY 1974 will originate with the DMSDS program. Architects will be contacted and the appropriate technical guidance will be provided depending upon the risk involved. NOTE: Contracts with 15 universities, amounting to $513,357 were committed during FY 1972 but due to administrative contractor delays were not able to be obligated prior to June 30, 1972 and are therefore included in the FY 1973 obligational program. |