Executive Order  No. 10: Civil Defense Emergency Rescue and Evacuation System

WHEREAS, by Executive Order No. 3, issued October 18, 1950, the Governor established a Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Division within the Civil Defense Agency of the Commonwealth, assigned the Department of Public Works as the sponsoring agency for said Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Division, named the Commissioner of Public Works as head, ex officio, of said Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Division and directed that each local organization for civil defense include in so far as practicable, a Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Division; and

WHEREAS, by said Executive Order No. 3, the Governor also established nine regions within the Commonwealth for the purpose of administering the civil defense plan and program, created the post of Regional Director for each region and provided for a Board of Regional Co-ordinators for the Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Service in each region; and

WHEREAS, the President of the United States, on December 16, 1950, did proclaim a state of national emergency and thereafter on the same date the Governor did proclaim that a state of emergency exists for the reason that the peace and security of the Commonwealth are endangered by the imminent threat of belligerent acts of the enemies of the United States; and

WHEREAS, it is essential that adequate provisions be made for the organization, mobilization and utilization of all personnel and equipment within the Commonwealth which may be necessary or useful in carrying out the responsibilities and functions of the Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Divisions:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Paul A. Dever, Governor of the Commonwealth, acting under the provisions of Acts of 1950, chapter 639, and all other authority vested in me, do hereby issue this order to cope with the existing state of emergency and as part of the comprehensive plan and program for the civil defense of the Commonwealth:

1.  The Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Divisions of the Civil Defense Agency of the Commonwealth and of the local organizations for civil defense shall survey all public and private transportation and evacuation resources within the Commonwealth; make plans to provide rescue services in event of disaster or catastrophe; plan and prepare to establish evacuation centers and to transport evacuees, in the event that evacuation of any area in the Commonwealth becomes necessary as a result of disaster or catastrophe or the
imminent threat thereof.

2.  The following agencies of the Commonwealth are assigned as supporting agencies to assist the Department of Public Works, as sponsoring agency for the Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Division of the Civil Defense Agency of the Commonwealth, in the performance of such functions of said Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Division as may be related to the existing powers and duties of such agencies:

Department of Labor and Industries
Department of Mental Health
Department of Public Health
Department of Public Safety
    - Division of Inspection
    - Division of State Police
Department of Public Utilities
Department of Public Welfare
Department of Public Works
Department of Motor Vehicles
Department of the State Secretary
Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission
Metropolitan District Commission

3.  Subject to the direction and control of the Commissioner of Public Works as head of the Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Division of the Civil Defense Agency of the Commonwealth, each Regional Director, with the assistance of his Regional Co-ordinators for the Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Service, shall:

1. Supervise and assist in the organization and training of the Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Divisions of the local organizations for civil defense.
2. Expedite the making of any study and survey of rescue, transportation and evacuation personnel and equipment required to be made under the provisions of Executive Order No. 1, issued September 8, 1950, or this, or any other Executive Order hereafter issued.

4.  During the present state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor, under provisions of Acts of 1950, chapter 639, section 5, the Director of a local organization for civil defense may, when he, after consultation with the head of the Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Division of the local organization for civil defense, deems the Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation facilities available in his city or town inadequate to deal with conditions existing therein as a result of disaster or catastrophe, request his Regional Director to mobilize and dispatch additional rescue, transportation and evacuation assistance to such city or town.

Upon receipt of such request, the Regional Director shall have authority to mobilize and dispatch to such city or town with the approval of the State Director, such additional rescue, transportation and evacuation assistance from any city or town within the region, as the Regional Director deems necessary.

5.  During said state of emergency a Regional Director may, when he, after consultation with his Regional Co-ordinators for the Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Service, deems the rescue, transportation and evacuation facilities available in his region inadequate to deal with conditions existing in a city or town therein as a result of disaster or catastrophe, request the State Director to mobilize and dispatch additional rescue, transportation and evacuation assistance to such city or town.

Upon receipt of such request, the State Director shall have authority to mobilize and dispatch to such city or town, with the approval of the Governor, such additional rescue, transportation and evacuation assistance as the State Director deems necessary.

6.  Rescue, transportation and evacuation personnel and equipment dispatched to a city or town pursuant to the provisions of this order shall be under the command and control of the head of the Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Division of the local organization for civil defense.  If the local organization for civil defense does not have a Rescue, Transportation and Evacuation Division, the Regional Director shall designate the person to be in command and control of the mobilized rescue, transportation and evacuation personnel and equipment.

GIVEN at the Executive Chamber in Boston this thirty-first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and fifty-one and of the Independence of the United States of America, the one hundred and seventy-fifth.

By His Excellency the Governor, Paul A. Dever

Edward J. Cronin,
Secretary of the Commonwealth