Civil Defense and Emergency Management

  • Civil Defense

    Although Civil Defense existed before, it came into its own during the Cold War, when citizens of Louisville feared nuclear annihilation. For a history of fallout shelters in Louisville, click here.

  • Disaster & Emergency Services

    As the focus moved to disasters in the 1970s, rather than nuclear war, the name of the discipline changed in Kentucky to Disaster and Emergency Services.

  • Emergency Management

    The Louisville Metro Emergency Management Agency is now part of Emergency Services, along with Louisville Metro EMS and Metrosafe, the 911 Center.

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On January 18, 1963, at about 6:15 p.m., 27 volunteers, each carrying their cot, walked into the basement of The Courier-Journal, to spend the next 48 hours learning how to be a fallout shelter manager. The training event was sponsored by the Louisv

On January 18, 1963, at about 6:15 p.m., 27 volunteers, each carrying their cot, walked into the basement of The Courier-Journal, to spend the next 48 hours learning how to be a fallout shelter manager. The training event was sponsored by the Louisville / Jefferson County civil defense headquarters. The youngest volunteer was Martha Ann Bridgers, the 4 year old daughter of Sam K. Bridgers, Jr., the civil defense director. She was accompanied by Cindy, her stuffed animal friend. The manager of the shelter for the two days was T.B. Schmall, who had spent a week in New York to learn the tasks needed to properly handle the needs of a shelter. For more stories and photos, see https://www.courier-journal.com/.../fallout.../78311178/