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The ARP services included; Report & control of incidents; Messenger & Warden service; Rescue, repair & demolition; Anti-gas service; and Casualty (including First Aid Parties, ambulance, Emergency Mortuary) services. A support service was founded also in 1938 called WVS (womens Volunteer Service), and in 1941 the Fire Guard service (intended to report fires & deal with individual incenduary bombs) was set up.

Associated with the ARP, but independent in organisation were; the Police, including the Auxillery Police; the Fire Services, both National Fire Service (NFS) and Auxillery Fire Service (AFS); and the Health Services.

Initially members of the ARP were supplied with arm bands & a steel helmet, but by 1941 most member had a blue battledress, or overalls. Branch & rank were painted on the steel helmet, usually by letters & rings ("W" for warden, "R" for Rescue).

The WVS had many functions but was best known for its work in running & operating the Mobile Canteens and Rest Centres.


REFERENCE

  • Brown, Eye. "Put that light out! - Britain's Civil Defence Services at War 1935-45" published by Sutton 1999.




EXTERNAL LINK

Emergency Management Academy of New Zealand provides Civil Defence training in NZ