Executive Order  No. 25: Civil defense planning by state agencies

WHEREAS, potential enemies of the United States have capacity to attack this Commonwealth and the United States in greater and ever growing force; and

WHEREAS, such capacity has reached the point where successful Civil Defense demands preparation by all agencies of State and other governments, as well as preparations by private organizations and by families and individuals; and

WHEREAS, the experience of four years and the greater striking power of the enemy indicate that certain changes in the assignment of Civil Defense responsibilities should be made:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Christian A. Herter, Governor of the Commonwealth acting under the provisions of Acts of 1950, Chapter 639, and in particular Sections 4, 8, 16 and 20 thereof, and all other authority conferred upon me by law, do hereby issue this Order as a necessary preparatory step in advance of actual disaster or catastrophe and as part of the comprehensive plan and program for the Civil Defense of the Commonwealth.

1. Each department, independent division, board, commission and independent institution of the Government of the Commonwealth (hereinafter referred to as agencies) shall make appropriate plans for the protection of its personnel, equipment and supplies (including records and documents) against the effects of enemy attack; for carrying on such of its normal services as may continue to be needed on an emergency basis in event of enemy attack; and for carrying out such Civil Defense responsibilities as may be assigned in this Order or by subsequent Order of the Governor or for rendering such assistance to the Civil Defense Agency of the Commonwealth or for performing such Civil Defense functions as the State Civil Defense Director may request. All such planning will be coordinated by the State Civil Defense Agency.

2. The responsibility for such planning shall rest with the head of each agency, provided that such head may designate a competent person in the service of the agency to be and act as Civil Defense officer of the agency. It shall be the function of said Civil Defense officer to supervise and coordinate such planning by the agency subject to the direction and control of the head of the agency.

3. In addition to the responsibilities imposed by Sections 1 and 2 hereof, the following named Departments, Division and Commission (and such other agency as may hereafter be assigned responsibility for a Civil Defense service) shall each have responsibility for the Civil Defense Service indicated. Such responsibility shall include the assignment of one or more competent personnel of the Department, Division or Commission to serve in the Civil Defense Agency, at the Civil Defense Headquarters or elsewhere, under the direction and control of the State Civil Defense Director, as the staff of the assigned Service. Such responsibility shall also include the assignment of available resources of the Department, Division or Commission for necessary training in the duties of such Service and for performance of the functions of such Service in event of disaster or catastrophe:

4. Detailed instructions for the implementation of this Order will be provided, for all agencies concerned, in an Administrative Order or Administrative Orders to be hereafter promulgated.

5. All assignments of responsibilities to State officers or agencies in connection with the Civil Defense program of the Commonwealth, heretofore made by Executive Orders Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11 and Administrative Orders Nos. 2, 7 and 9, are hereby superseded except insofar as not inconsistent herewith.

GIVEN at the Executive Chamber in Boston, the third day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and fifty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the one hundred and seventy-ninth.

By His Excellency the Governor

CHRISTIAN A. HERTER

EDWARD J. CRONIN

Secretary of the Commonwealth