Research

New York State War Council Division of Civilian Protection State Property Officer Civil Defense Equipment Distribution and Liquidation Records


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Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:
This series contains correspondence, memoranda, lists, and forms documenting the State Property Officer's distribution and liquidation of civil defense equipment. The Officer was appointed to oversee the allocation and distribution of protective equipment from the Office of Civilian Defense to the State and nearly 350 local communities. Lists enumerate distribution by community. Correspondence documents the receipt and liquidation of emergency medical equipment, and communities' requests for equipment and the Mutual Aid Allocation program.
Creator:
Title:
Civil defense equipment distribution and liquidation records
Quantity:

9 cubic feet

Inclusive Dates:
1942-1946
Series Number:
A4359

Arrangement

Arranged by equipment type or activity.

Administrative History

The State Property Officer was appointed to oversee the allocation and distribution of protective equipment from the United States Office of Civilian Defense to New York State and nearly 350 of New York's communities. Each community had a local property officer responsible to the federal govenment for the equipment allocated to his community, and the State Property Officer provided technical assistance to local officers in the discharge of their duties.

Generally, various institutions of the State's Department of Mental Hygiene stored gas detection and protection equipment along with medical supplies such as folding and hospital beds, while fire fighting equipment was held in the communities. At the war's end, with the State Property Officer's coordination, surplus equipment was sold to the state and local communities. The liquidation was completed in October 1946.

Scope and Content Note

This series contains correspondence, memoranda, lists, and forms documenting the State Property Officer's distribution and liquidation of civil defense equipment, including steel helmets, pump tank extinguishers, and gas masks. Lists enumerate equipment distribution by community, and correspondence with hospitals notes the receipt of emergency medical equipment. Other correspondence details communities' requests for equipment and the Mutual Aid Allocation program, in which local communities agreed to assist one another in the case of certain emergencies.

The fire fighting equipment's liquidation is detailed in correspondence and forms. The forms note: community and county; population of community; presence of a fire department; number of pumpers fire department owns; number of firemen; and type and number of equipment requested.

Many local property officers were involved in the distribution of surplus goods as they handled both the physical and administrative transfer of the equipment.

Processing Information

This series was originally accessioned as boxes 383-384, 386-391, 397, 399-402, 416, and 452-453 of old collection #77, accession -71.

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Access Terms

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