Continue Staff and Command School
During a two-week period in October, the Civil Defense Staff College at Battle Creek, Mich., buzzed with an activity unusual in its history. For the first time, top fire officers representing local, state and federal agencies gathered to study and discuss fire problems which may face this nation in the event of nuclear war. Judging from the comments of the students, the first National Fire Service Staff and Command School served its purpose very well. The training staff of the college has stated that the sessions were perhaps the most productive it has experienced to date. All who participated were agreed that the school should be continued in order that as many fire officers as possible be acquainted with the philosophy and objectives of the course as it relates to fire defense.
The school marks a milestone important to the nation’s fire service for it indicates the concern with which Federal authorities view the fire problems of warfare, and as a result, the recognition that is now being afforded fire protection forces. In the past most efforts to convince civil defense authorities that fire was a major problem met with apathy to say the least. The turning point appears to have occurred during the 1958 Los Angeles Conference of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The then OCDM director, Leo A. Hoegh, learned from some very blunt statements by Association officials that fire protection was believed to be an underestimated part of the over-all CD effort. Governor Hoegh responded by appointing a representative fire advisory committee reporting directly to him and concerning itself with fire protection problems of this nuclear age.
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