“First aid” (courses of various lengths)—­How to help the sick and injured until professional medical assistance is obtained.

“Care of the sick and injured” (12-hour course)—­How to care for patients after they have received professional medical treatment.

Information on these free courses, which are given in most communities, is available from local Civil Defense Offices, County Agricultural Extension Agents, local public health departments, or American Red Cross chapters.  Special advice for rural families on emergency actions related to crops and livestock is available from the U.S.  Department of Agriculture.

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PART ONE

NUCLEAR ATTACK

A nuclear attack against the United States would take a high toll of lives.  But our losses would be much less if people were prepared to meet the emergency, knew what actions to take, and took them.

A nationwide civil defense system now exists in the United States, and is being enlarged and improved constantly.  The heart of this system is fallout shelter to protect people from the radioactive fallout that would result from a nuclear attack.  The system also includes warning and communications networks, preparations to measure fallout radiation, control centers to direct lifesaving and recovery operations, emergency broadcasting stations, local governments organized for emergency operations, large numbers of citizens trained in emergency skills, and U.S. military forces available to help civil authorities and the public in a time of emergency.

If an enemy should threaten to attack the United States, you would not be alone.  The entire Nation would be mobilizing to repulse the attack, destroy the enemy, and hold down our own loss of life.  Much assistance would be available to you—­from local, State and Federal governments, from the U.S. armed forces units in your area, and from your neighbors and fellow-Americans.  If an attack should come, many lives would be saved through effective emergency preparations and actions.

You can give yourself and your family a much better chance of surviving and recovering from a nuclear attack if you will take time now to:

     Understand the dangers you would face in an attack.

     Make your own preparations for an attack.

     Learn what actions you should take at the time of attack.

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CHAPTER 1

CHECKLIST OF EMERGENCY ACTIONS

* Know your local emergency action plan

     * Find out from your local government your local plan for
     emergency action.

     * Determine the specific actions you and members of your
     family are expected to take.