Civil Defense Delays Plan to Start Student Air Raid Warden Classes

Civil Defense plans to organize air raid wardens in the University have been temporarily halted because of government warnings this week on the danger of radiation "fall-out" from hydrogen bombs, Edmund M. Burke, Cambridge Civil Defense Director, said yesterday.

"We're waiting for word from state officials on how this information may affect evacuation procedures before we plan further," said Burke. If present plans don't change, however, the University will probably soon ask for student volunteers to attend warden training classes, Burke said.

A student warden's chief task would be to familiarize students in his own and neighboring entries with Cambridge evacuation routes and radiation survival techniques, according to Burke. Since the hydrogen bomb has made mass evacuation the only feasible defense, wardens will not have to learn first aid or rescue procedure, Burke said.

Civil Defense workers are now preparing maps of escape routes which will be posted in university buildings. In the event of war, all vehicles would have to follow these prescribed routes and stop along the way or at special pick-up points for people without a ride.

There are ten evacuation routes from Cambridge to the north and west and 15 gathering points in the City, Burke said. All traffic would be one-way and though cars could enter at any point, none could cross over or switch routes.

Student wardens would probably also work at shelter areas and allocation centers about 20 miles outside Cambridge, Burke said.