Executive Order  No. 11: Public utilities installations and services in civil defense emergencies

WHEREAS, by Executive Order No. 3, issued October 18, 1950, the Governor established a Utilities Division within the Civil Defense Agency of the Commonwealth, assigned the Department of Public Utilities as the sponsoring agency for said Utilities Division, named the Chairman of the Department of Public Utilities as head, ex officio, of said Utilities Division and directed that each local organization for civil defense include, in so far as practicable, a Utilities 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 Utilities 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 mobilization and utilization of all personnel and equipment that may be necessary or useful in repairing and restoring gas or electric services in event of disaster or catastrophe:

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.  As used in this Order, the term "Utilities" shall be deemed to mean gas services, whether manufactured or natural gas is distributed, and electric services, whether generation of electricity is by steam or water power.

2.  The Utilities Division of the Civil Defense Agency of the Commonwealth and of the local organizations for civil defense shall survey all public and private gas and electric services within the Commonwealth and make plans in conjunction with the industries concerned, to assist, in so far as their personnel, equipment and facilities permit, in the emergency repair and restoration of gas and electric services in event of disaster or catastrophe.

3.  Subject to the direction and control of the Chairman of the Department of Public Utilities as head of the Utilities Division of the Civil Defense Agency of the Commonwealth, each Regional Director, with the assistance of his Regional Co-ordinators for the Utilities Service, shall:

1. Supervise and assist in the organization and training of the Utilities Divisions of the local organizations for civil defense.
2. Expedite the making of the survey of gas and electric services directed to be made by paragraph No. 2 of this Order, and any other study and survey of gas and electric services that may be required to be made under the provisions of Executive Order No. 1, issued September 8, 1950 or any other Executive Order hereafter issued.

4.  During the present state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor, under the 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 Utilities Division of the local organization for civil defense, deems the personnel and equipment available in his city or town inadequate to repair and restore gas or electric services therein which have been damaged or disrupted as a result of disaster or catastrophe, request his Regional Director to mobilize and dispatch additional personnel and equipment for the repair and restoration of gas or electric services 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 personnel and equipment for the repair and restoration of gas or electric services 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 Utilities Service, deems the personnel and equipment available in his region inadequate to repair and restore gas or electric services in a city or town therein which have been damaged or disrupted as a result of disaster or catastrophe, request the State Director to mobilize and dispatch additional personnel and equipment for the repair and restoration of gas or electric services 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 personnel and equipment for the repair and restoration of gas or electric services as the State Director deems necessary.

6.  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 Utilities Division of the local organization for civil defense.  If the local organization for civil defense does not have a Utilities Division, the Regional Director shall designate the person to be in command and control of the mobilized personnel and equipment.

GIVEN at the Executive Chamber in Boston this 14th day of March 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