The United States was built on the spirit of neighborliness and cooperation, a spirit which largely still exists today as a natural instinct. This spirit was fostered in part by a mentality of protection. This spirit is needed now more than ever due the possibility of hydrogen bomb attacks, although education is required to inform people that that cooperation is required for survival of such an attack. Key to survival of such an attack is civil defense. The National Civil Defense Administration, headquartered in Battle Creek, Michigan, is the primary coordinating body at the national level. However, much of the detailed work has to be done at the local level with local input and local organization. One such local civil defense unit, the Berks County Civil Defense which covers the city of Reading, Pennsylvania, is presented. The work of this and all other civil defense units not only prepare for surviving a nuclear attack, but surviving any disaster, natural or man made, that may befall their jurisdiction.
—Huggo