Montgomery County Civil Defense Documents

At the end of WWII, the United States and the Soviet Union entered into a conflict known as the Cold War (1945-1991). This was rooted within the different political ideologies of the two nations. During the mid-twentieth century, tensions between the countries and their allies grew high. Americans soon became fearful of a potential nuclear attack on U.S. soil. In response, civil defense agencies, such as the Tennessee Civil Defense Association (TCDA), were created. These agencies helped citizens prepare for disaster in organized, nonmilitary efforts.

Founded in 1951, TCDA membership was open to all citizens and civil defense groups in the state. Wanting to help educate Tennesseans on the dangers of a nuclear attack, it distributed informational pamphlets produced by the Department of Defense (DoD). These ranged from the importance of storing a surplus of food to guides on building fallout shelters. The TCDA also encouraged counties and cities across the state to consider how their communities and local governments would operate in the wake of a nuclear attack. In 1962, Clarksville and Montgomery County created a joint emergency plan, signed by county judge William Beach and city mayor William Edmonson. Lines of succession, evacuation plans, medical care centers, and utility services were a few of the many things considered.

Towards the late twentieth century, fears of an atomic attack decreased. Focus shifted away from nuclear fallout planning to natural disaster preparedness. Responsibility for U.S. civil defense oversight was transferred from the DoD to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). With the change in public safety concerns, civil defense groups began to dissolve. In 1985, the TCDA, under presidency of Joan Blair, was absorbed by the Emergency Management Association of Tennessee (EMAT). Today, EMAT membership is open to volunteers and professionals dedicated to the emergency preparedness of Tennessee and its counties.