Civil Defense collection

[scalebowler]

I really am just facinated by this stuff. I don't really know why but I always have thought nuclear stuff was really cool. I remember in 4th grade understanding how the power plant worked had it all down except at that time I did not understand the whole fission process but I did know the differences between the types of reactors. I also remember teaching the class about the detectors in high school chemistry class. That was really fun the teacher had me bring them in and she gave me almost the whole class time to talk about how they worked and how they were used. I have been asking the local emergency management agencys about getting a siren. None have had any yet but there are still a few left in service so I keep checking periodically just to see. Thing is I have to find one locally because they are so big and weigh so much.  I guarente if they ever replace the one at the elementary school near me I will be down there with money in my hand asking for it. Only place that still has one with the Civil Defense logo on the control box.

[scalebowler]

I also got to tour the state emergency management agency and the radiation callibration lab. That was really cool! The agency is located in an old bunker that was built for the state government incase of a nuclear attack and they still have the generators, blast doors, ventalation system, and water pumps in there. It now has the agency down there and they do have some really neat command centers which I got to see. Neat thing is I have a broucure from the 70's about the place from when it was the Civil Defence place and everything is still mostly the same except more offices and computers. The calibration lab was also really neat. I was not allowed to take pictures there so I am not going to say too much about it but they did have some neat stuff there. Basically every kind of detection equipment ever to have the CD logo was there. Also got a demonstration on how they callibrate the newer stuff. I had to stand behind a line and watch on a tv screen the number on the display go up by 1000 times. That was really cool.

[scalebowler]

That's an awesome collection of meters you have! I just got finished with a 40 hour Industrial Radiographers Course so survey meters are near and dear to my heart!! The largest cause of accidental exposure is the Radiographer not using his survey meter to ensure the source is where it should be. Nasty way to buy the farm.

When I was a kid, my dad brought home a HUGE box of CD First Aid Kits. The individual boxes were about 3 feet long by 6 inches square. They had everything that you might need including a full set of wooden splints. My pops worked for the City of Palo Alto, CA. and they were throwing them out and he thought they would be cool to give to my Boy Scout troop.

Thanks! I really enjoy this stuff. I really liked it when I got a tour of the calibration lab for the state. The person who took me on the tour told me about all kinds of stuff and showed me everything he was allowed to. Even offered to get me a job there which I would love. At the time it was not in the buget but I am checking back now to see if it might me available now. Do you work for a place that uses the survey meters like a fire fighter or at a nuclear plant? Just wondering but the class does sound like it would be fun. I have had offers to attend a fire fighters training class for radioactive materials for the fun of it. I should do that sometime. I think I would enjoy it.

[BrianB]

The facility I work at, a Failure & Material Analysis Laboratory, works with various analytical instuments that produce anything from low level x-ray to higher level gamma . Everything from Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM's), Real Time X-Ray, CT Scan, Micro CT, X-ray Diffraction, a Linear Accelerator and Vault X-ray.

We use survey meters extensively to conduct pre-operation surveys and also use them during the course of  the operation to monitor for any possible exposure.

The class was very good and very hard!

[Jimbo]

Here's my 1953 International Civil Defense fire truck I bought from my town last year.  I also use a  Civil Defense water can for a trash can.

[scalebowler]

That is an awesome truck!

[scalebowler]

The facility I work at, a Failure & Material Analysis Laboratory, works with various analytical instuments that produce anything from low level x-ray to higher level gamma . Everything from Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM's), Real Time X-Ray, CT Scan, Micro CT, X-ray Diffraction, a Linear Accelerator and Vault X-ray.

We use survey meters extensively to conduct pre-operation surveys and also use them during the course of  the operation to monitor for any possible exposure.

The class was very good and very hard!

That sounds really cool!

[scalebowler]

I did contact the local emergency management agency asking about a siren that is still up at the elementary school near my house. They don't even have it listed on their list of sirens. Waiting to see what they say about it. I know they replaced all of the other old sirens but for some reason this one was not touched. Here is a picture of the same type of siren it is not the one because the one near me is still on the pole but it is the same type. http://www.airraidsirens.com/images/fed_2t22geek_440x440.jpg

[pepsi-perk]

You should of come out here and use your stuff for fun SB. 

There used to be an old ammo plant that manufactured the material for the bombs used on Japan in WWII.  They just recently super funded the project to "clean" it all up.  I went to high school not a 1/2 mile from the plant when it was still there, but it was long since abandoned then and drank the tap water that comes from the same area while at shool. I probably glow in the dark.  There is a higher level of leukemia in this area....mmmm, wonder what that is from.  I would imagine that you could probably be able to get some readings on your meters.  They say it's all neutralized now, but hey, who believes the government?

[rayg]

Cool stuff ....at work in the basements of some of the older offices that still got CD shelters  with barrels of food and other stuff , I open a tins of crackers and tasted one they were still OK scary! Here's a link to the Michigan CD museum http://www.michigancivildefense.com/