Norwood’s participation in yesterday’s continental Civil Defense exercise was a striking example of what some preparation, a small trained group of CD personnel, and an alert, the cooperative populace can do as far as foot and motor-vehicle traffic control is concerned.
Streets Cleared In Two Minutes
In less than two minutes on a busy morning the streets were cleared and nearly deserted — a strange sight to those who saw it.
George T. Mahoney, Director of the Office of Civil Defense for Norwood, was enthusiastic about the test and had high praise for the town officials and Civil Defense members who worked to make it effective.
Norwood, in cooperation with the adjoining towns on the Boston-Providence highway — Dedham. Westwood and Walpole — achieved the most complete motor vehicle traffic control to date.
Wiggins Airways, through its manager, Ralph E. Hynes, provided the town with two aircraft to observe and photograph results of this test. The aerial observations made by police officer Valentine Balutis were radioed to CD headquarters in the Municipal Building by M. 1. Orent. Operating the CD ground-radio equipment was Allyn H. Fisher. Elmert R. Tay served as aerial photographer.
The regular Norwood police force, under control of Chief Mark F. Folan. was augmented by CD Auxiliary Police R. A. Baxter, J. J. Callahan. F. J. Doran. J M. Welch, C. G. Hagman, G. W. Parrish. Alex Burnz, D. D. Maloof, J. O. Holmes, E. J. McDonough, Dick Clayton, A. E. Johnson, K, T. Gibbs, E. L. Baker. R. C. Kral, C. J. Marathas, K. Neviackas.
The whistle and siren warning system was evaluated by John R. Russell, Dr. William F. Lovell, and Fire Chief Alonzo N. Earle as only moderately effective, The CD Staff present for this test included Town Manager J. B. Kennedy, Engineer W. W. Thompson, Emory Forrest, Maurice Baker, Harry Howard, Patrick. J. Lydon and P. R. Kugel.
(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)
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