Editing Civil defense (section)

== Stages ==

=== Mitigation ===
[[File:T38.jpg|thumb|right|Civil defense logo on an Air raid [[siren (alarm)|siren]] control box in [[Kansas]], US]]
[[File:Civil Defense Logo.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Civil Defense logo on a [[Thunderbolt siren|Thunderbolt 1003]] siren]]

Mitigation is the process of actively preventing war or the release of [[nuclear weapon]]s. It includes policy analysis, diplomacy, political measures, [[nuclear disarmament]] and more military responses such as a [[National Missile Defense]] and [[air defense artillery]]. In the case of counter-terrorism, mitigation would include diplomacy, [[intelligence (information gathering)|intelligence]] gathering and direct action against terrorist groups. Mitigation may also be reflected in long-term planning such as the design of the [[interstate highway]] system and the placement of military bases further away from populated areas.

=== Preparation ===

Preparation consists of building [[blast shelter]]s and pre-positioning information, supplies, and emergency infrastructure. For example, most larger cities in the U.S. now have underground emergency operations centers that can perform civil defense coordination. FEMA also has many underground facilities for the same purpose located near major railheads such as the ones in [[Denton, Texas]] and [[Mount Weather]], Virginia.

Other measures would include continual government inventories of grain silos, the [[Strategic National Stockpile]], the uncapping of the [[Strategic Petroleum Reserve (United States)|Strategic Petroleum Reserve]], the dispersal of lorry-transportable bridges, water purification, mobile refineries, mobile de-contamination facilities, mobile general and special purpose disaster mortuary facilities such as [[Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team]] (DMORT) and [[DMORT-WMD]], and other aids such as temporary housing to speed civil recovery.

On an individual scale, one means of preparation for exposure to [[nuclear fallout]] is to obtain [[potassium iodide]] (KI) tablets as a safety measure to protect the human [[thyroid]] gland from the uptake of dangerous radioactive [[iodine]]. Another measure is to cover the nose, mouth and eyes with a piece of cloth and sunglasses to protect against [[alpha particle]]s, which are only an internal hazard.

To support and supplement efforts at national, regional and local level with regard to disaster prevention, the [[wikt:preparedness|preparedness]] of those responsible for civil protection and the intervention in the event of disaster
* To establish a framework for effective and rapid cooperation between different civil protection services when mutual assistance is needed (police, [[fire service]], [[healthcare]] service, [[public utility]] [[wikt:provider|provider]], voluntary agencies)
* To set up and implement training programs for intervention and coordination teams as well as assessment experts including joint courses and exchange systems
* To enhance the coherence of actions undertaken at international level in the field of civil protection, especially in the context of cooperation

Preparing also includes sharing information:
* To contribute to informing the public, in view of increasing citizens' level of self-protection
* To collect and disseminate validated emergency information
* To pool information on national civil protection capabilities, military and medical resources
* To ensure efficient information sharing between the different authorities

=== Response ===
Response consists first of warning civilians so they can enter [[fallout shelter]]s and protect assets.

Staffing a response is always full of problems in a civil defense emergency. After an attack, conventional full-time emergency services are dramatically overloaded, with conventional fire fighting response times often exceeding several days. Some capability is maintained by local and state agencies, and an emergency reserve is provided by specialized military units, especially [[Civil Affairs|civil affairs]], [[Military Police]], [[Judge Advocate]]s and [[combat engineer]]s.

However, the traditional response to massed attack on civilian population centers is to maintain a mass-trained force of volunteer emergency workers. Studies in [[World War II]] showed that lightly trained (40 hours or less) civilians in organised teams can perform up to 95% of emergency activities when trained, liaised and supported by local government. In this plan, the populace rescues itself from most situations, and provides information to a central office to prioritize professional emergency services.

In the 1990s, this concept was revived by the [[Los Angeles Fire Department]] to cope with civil emergencies such as [[earthquake]]s. The program was widely adopted, providing standard terms for organization. In the U.S., this is now official federal policy, and it is implemented by [[community emergency response team]]s, under the Department of Homeland Security, which certifies training programs by local governments, and registers "certified disaster service workers" who complete such training.


=== Recovery ===

Recovery consists of rebuilding damaged infrastructure, buildings and production. The recovery phase is the longest and ultimately most expensive phase. Once the immediate "crisis" has passed, cooperation fades away and recovery efforts are often politicized or seen as economic opportunities.

Preparation for recovery can be very helpful. If mitigating resources are dispersed before the attack, cascades of social failures can be prevented. One hedge against bridge damage in riverine cities is to subsidize a "tourist ferry" that performs scenic cruises on the river. When a bridge is down, the ferry takes up the load.