You are here

Home » Collections » University Archives & Acadiana Manuscripts » Acadiana Manuscripts Collection » Manuscripts Collections

Vermilion Parish Office of Civil Defense Records

Collection 235

Vermilion Parish Office of Civil Defense. Records, 1942–1992, n.d.

9 feet, 10 inches; oversize

The Vermilion Parish Office of Civil Defense began in the 1950’s. The office is responsible for creating preparedness plans in case of natural disasters or attack. It is also responsible for cleaning up after natural disasters as well as fixing damages throughout the parish caused by natural disasters.

The collection includes a large amount of correspondence which typically involved Robert J. Leblanc, the Civil Defense Director. It also contains operational records such as bills, employee wages, data, and project applications. The collection has information on trainings and courses for employees and also has documentation from Civil Defense meetings and conferences such as minutes, agendas, and resolutions. The Vermilion Parish Office of Civil Defense collection encompasses documentation of natural disasters as well as photos and news clippings related to natural disasters. Although the collection has records on multiple hurricanes and other natural disasters, it has a large focus on select hurricanes such as Audrey (1957) and Andrew (1992). The collection also includes many preparedness plans for emergencies, natural disasters, and attacks. These preparedness plans come from the federal, state, and local level. The Vermilion Parish Office of Civil Defense also kept many publications such as advertisements and bulletins. The advertisements are mostly for supplies and equipment needed for fallout shelters and other emergency preparedness. The bulletins included in the collection are largely informational bulletins from the federal civil defense level.

This collection was donated by Robert J. Leblanc.

Series:

I. Correspondence 1-01 through 2-13
II. Records  
  A. Financial Records  
    i. Bills and Receipts 2-14 through 3-02
    ii. Employee Financial Records 3-03 through 3-05
    iii. Project Records 3-06 through 3-17
    iv. Other 3-18 through 3-24
  B. Personnel Records  
    i. Professional Development 3-25 through 4-05
    ii. General 4-06 through 4-09
  C. Natural Disaster Records 4-10 through 4-13
III. Preparedness Plans  
  A. Federal Preparedness Plans 4-14 through 4-15
  B. State Preparedness Plans 4-16 through 4-18
  C. Parish Preparedness Plans  
    i. Vermilion Parish 4-19 through 4-22
    ii. Lake Charles 4-23
  D. Fallout Protection 5-01 through 5-04
  E. Binders 9-01 through 11-04
IV. Publications  
  A. Advertisements 5-05 through 5-09
  B. Bulletins 5-10 through 5-16
  C. Pamphlets 5-17 through 6-06
V. Photographs 6-07 through 7-05
VI. Newspaper Clippings 7-06 through 7-11,
11-05 through 11-07
VII. Oversize Box 8, Map Case 40-03

Inventory:

I. Correspondence
1-01 July-October, 1957
1-02 November-December, 1957
1-03 January-December, 1958
1-04 January-December, 1959
1-05 January-December, 1960
1-06 January-April, 1961
1-07 May-September, 1961
1-08 October-December, 1961
1-09 January-May, 1962
1-10 June-December, 1963
1-11 January-May, 1963
1-12 June-December, 1963
1-13 January-April, 1964
1-14 May-August, 1964
1-15 September-December, 1964
1-16 January-June, 1965
1-17 July-December, 1965
1-18 January-August, 1966
  [There are no 1966 papers after August]
1-19 January-July, 1967
1-20 August-December, 1967
1-21 January-December, 1968
1-22 January-June, 1969
1-23 July-December, 1969
1-24 January-December, 1970
   
2-01 January-June, 1971
2-02 July-December, 1971
2-03 January-June, 1972
  [Includes letters requesting use of Civil Defense Films for public schools]
2-04 July-December, 1972
2-05 January-December, 1973
2-06 January-December, 1974
2-07 January-May, 1975
2-08 June-December, 1975
2-09 January-December, 1976
2-10 January-August, 1977
2-11 August, 1978
  [Includes invitation to Testimonial dinner for Brigadier General Curney J. Dronet and response letters]
2-12 Not Dated
2-13 Not Dated
  [Includes letters written to Louisiana State Representatives regarding bill H B. 732]
 
II. Records
  A. Financial Records
    i. Bills and Receipts
2-14 1950 & 1957-1958
2-15 1959-1960
2-16 1961-1963
2-17 1964-1966
2-18 1967
2-19 1968-1969
2-20 1970
2-21 1971
2-22 1972-1973
3-01 1974-1979
3-02 Not Dated
   
II. Records
  A. Financial Records
    ii. Employee Financial Records
      [Includes paperwork on employee salaries, hourly wages, and payroll as well as Personnel and Administrative Expenses Program]
3-03 1957-1966
3-04 1967-1976
3-05 Not Dated
II. Records
  A. Financial Records
    iii. Project Records
      [Includes “project” paperwork which pertains to construction and other types of activities related to cleaning up after natural disasters]
3-06 1955 and May-June, 1957
3-07 July-December, 1957
3-08 1958-1959
3-09 1960
3-10 1961
3-11 1962-1965
3-12 1966-1967
3-13 1968-1969
3-14 1970-1972
3-15 1973-1976
3-16 Not Dated
3-17 Blank Forms
     
II. Records
  A. Financial Records
    iv. Other
3-18 Purchase Orders
3-19 Program Papers, 1947-1970
  [Includes statistical data on Vermilion Parish Civil Defense Operations]
3-20 Program Papers, 1971-1977
  [Includes statistical data on Vermilion Parish Civil Defense Operations]
3-21 Program Paper Instructional Guides
  [Includes instructions on how to properly complete Program Papers]
3-22 Blank Forms
3-23 Other, 1951-1970
  [Includes paperwork on vehicles used by VPCD, functional statements on VPCD, etc.]
3-24 Other, 1971-1976
  [Includes paperwork on vehicles used by VPCD, cost estimates for travel to conventions, and Emergency Operation Centers]
   
II. Records
  B. Personnel Records
    i. Professional Development
3-25 Trainings, 1959-1976
  [Includes course listings for Civil Defense training courses, instructors reports, and notices for upcoming courses]
3-26 Trainings, Not Dated
  [Includes enrollment forms and other notices about trainings, and a map of Vermilion Parish used for Army training]
4-01 Speeches Made at Las Vegas Convention
4-02 Agendas, Minutes, Motions
  [Includes agendas, minutes, and motions from various Civil Defense Committee and Council meetings]
4-03 Resolutions
  [Includes resolutions and an ordinance from various Civil Defense Committee and Council meetings]
4-04 Constitutions and By-Laws
  [Includes constitutions and by-laws from various Civil Defense Committee and Council meetings]
4-05 Constitutions and By-Laws
  [Includes constitutions and by-laws from various Civil Defense Committee and Council meetings]
   
II. Records
  B. Personnel Records
    ii. General
4-06 Employee Oaths
  [Includes oaths signed by Civil Defense employees and personal information included on identification cards]
4-07 Lists, 1958-1962
  [Includes lists of employees, telephone lists, lists of teachers at Vermilion Parish Schools, association officers, etc.]
4-08 Lists, 1963-1978
  [Includes lists of employees, telephone lists, lists of teachers at Vermilion Parish Schools, association officers, etc.]
4-09 General
   
II. Records
  C. Natural Disaster Records
4-10 1957-1968
  [Includes weather reports and related papers on hurricanes and natural disasters such as Audrey, Carla, Gladys, Betsy, Fern, and Abby]
4-11 1969-1970
  [Includes weather reports and related papers on hurricanes and natural disasters such as Laurie, Ella, and Felice]
4-12 1971-1977
  [Includes weather reports and related papers on hurricanes and natural disasters such as Edith, and Ginger]
4-13 Not Dated
  [Includes weather reports and related papers on hurricanes and natural disasters such as Heidi and Carla. Also includes transparencies on hurricane tracking.]
 
III. Preparedness Plans
  A. Federal Preparedness Plans
4-14 1951-1963
  [Includes map used for preparedness operations, catalog on Civil Defense Films, and other plans for emergency preparedness]
4-15 1972-1973
  [Includes catalog on Army films, loan order forms to borrow CD films, and other plans for emergency preparedness]
 
III. Preparedness Plans
  B. State Preparedness Plans
4-16 1959-1961
4-17 1962-1973
4-18 1983 and 1992
  [Includes Radiological Response Plan, Louisiana Toxics Release Inventory, EOC information, and undated maps]
 
III. Preparedness Plans
  C. Parish Preparedness Plans
    i. Vermilion Parish
4-19 1956-1976
4-20 Vermilion Emergency Operations
  [This plan is missing several annexes]
4-21 Vermilion Operations Plan
4-22 Not Dated
  [Includes a natural disaster plan, traffic circulation plan, civil defense plan, and Vermilion Parish map]
 
III. Preparedness Plans
  C. Parish Preparedness Plans
    ii. Lake Charles
4-23 Evacuation Plan for Metropolitan Area of Lake Charles
 
III. Preparedness Plans
  D. Fallout Protection
    [Includes information on creating fallout shelters and supplies needed in fallout shelters as well as studies, surveys and sketches related to fallout shelters]
5-01 1961-1962
5-02 1965-1968
5-03 1972
5-04 Not Dated
 
III. Preparedness Plans
  E. Binders
9-01 Vol. 1: Emergency Operations Simulation Training, 1967
  Effects of Nuclear Weapons for Use in Readiness Planning, 1959
9-02 Vol. 1: Course Material, 1966-1968
9-03 Vol. 1: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations - Forward-Annex E, n.d.
9-04 Vol. 1: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations - Annex E-Annex J, n.d.
9-05 Vol. 2: Civil Defense Planning and Operations Student Resource Manual, 1968
  Emergency Operations Simulation Training, 1967
  Course Material, 1965
9-06 Vol. 2: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations - Contents and Indexes
9-07 Vol. 2: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations - Annex A-C
9-08 Vol. 2: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations - Annex D-F, Appendix 7
9-09 Vol. 2: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations - Annex F, Appendix 7-Annex F, Appendix 9, Tab e
9-10 Vol. 2: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations - Annex J-R, Appendix 7
9-11 Vol. 3: State of Louisiana Civil Defense Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Forward-Annex C, 1965-1978
9-12 Vol. 3: State of Louisiana Civil Defense Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Annex D-G, 1965-1978
9-13 Vol. 3: State of Louisiana Civil Defense Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Annex H-S, 1965-1978
9-14 Vol. 3: Peacetime Radiological Response Plan, 1978
9-15 Vol. 4: State of Louisiana Disaster Preparedness Plan - Front Matter, 1980
9-16 Vol. 4: State of Louisiana Disaster Preparedness Plan - Part I: General Plan, 1980
9-17 Vol. 4: State of Louisiana Disaster Preparedness Plan - Part II: Natural Disaster Assistance, 1980
9-18 Vol. 4: State of Louisiana Disaster Preparedness Plan - Part III: Resources, 1980
9-19 Vol. 4: State of Louisiana Disaster Preparedness Plan - Part IV: Other Resources, 1980
9-20 Vol. 5: State of Louisiana Preparedness Plan - Front Matter, 1982
9-21 Vol. 5: State of Louisiana Preparedness Plan - Part I: General Plan, 1982
9-22 Vol. 5: State of Louisiana Preparedness Plan - Part II: Natural Disaster Assistance, 1982
9-23 Vol. 6: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan Emergency Welfare Service - Appendix 3 to Annex F, 1971
9-24 Vol. 7: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan Emergency Welfare Service - Appendix 3 to Annex F (copy 2), 1971
9-25 Vol. 8: Vermilion Parish Resource Data for Emergency Operations Simulation Training, n.d.
9-26 Vol. 9: Vermilion Parish Resource Data for Emergency Operations Simulation Training (copy 2), n.d.
9-27 Vol. 9: Meetings that Move: H-11-3 Guide to Successful Meetings on Civil Defense, 1966
9-28 Vol. 9: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Civil Defense, Area 6, State of Louisiana: Forward
9-29 Vol. 9: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Civil Defense, Area 6, State of Louisiana: Annex A-C
9-30 Vol. 9: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Civil Defense, Area 6, State of Louisiana: Annex D-F, Appendix 6
9-31 Vol. 9: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Civil Defense, Area 6, State of Louisiana: Annex F, Appendix 7 - Annex J, Appendix 8
9-32 Vol. 10: Emergency Operations Plan for Vermilion Parish - Front Matter
9-33 Vol. 10: Emergency Operations Plan for Vermilion Parish - Basic Plan
9-34 Vol. 10: Emergency Operations Plan for Vermilion Parish - Appendices to Basic Plan
9-35 Vol. 10: Emergency Operations Plan for Vermilion Parish - Annex A
9-36 Vol. 10: Emergency Operations Plan for Vermilion Parish - Annex B-F
9-37 Vol. 10: Emergency Operations Plan for Vermilion Parish - Annex G-K
9-38 Vol. 10: Emergency Operations Plan for Vermilion Parish - Annex L-N
9-39 Vol. 10: Emergency Operations Plan for Vermilion Parish - Annex O
9-40 Vol. 10: Emergency Operations Plan for Vermilion Parish - Annex P-R
10-01 Vol. 11: Vermilion Parish Civil Preparedness Emergency Operations Plan - Basic Plan
10-02 Vol. 11: Vermilion Parish Civil Preparedness Emergency Operations Plan - Annex A-B
10-03 Vol. 11: Vermilion Parish Civil Preparedness Emergency Operations Plan - Annex C-E
10-04 Vol. 11: Vermilion Parish Civil Preparedness Emergency Operations Plan - Annex F
10-05 Vol. 12: Annex C-Part II: Crisis Relocation Plan for Vermilion Parish - Basic Plan
10-06 Vol. 12: Annex C-Part II: Crisis Relocation Plan for Vermilion Parish - Appendix A-F
10-07 Vol. 12: Annex C-Part II: Crisis Relocation Plan for Vermilion Parish - Handbook
10-08 Vol. 12: Annex C-Part II: Crisis Relocation Plan for Vermilion Parish - EPI
10-09 Vol. 13: Annex F - Parish of Vermilion, State of Louisiana Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Disaster Services
10-10 Vol. 13: Annex J - Vermilion Parish, State of Louisiana, Civil Defense Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Radiological Defense
10-11 Vol. 13: Annex L - State of Louisiana, Civil Defense Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Training and Education
11-01 Vol. 14: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Civil Defense, Area 6, State of Louisiana - Front Matter
11-02 Vol. 14: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Civil Defense, Area 6, State of Louisiana - Annex A-B
11-03 Vol. 14: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency Operations, Civil Defense, Area 6, State of Louisiana - Annex C
11-04 Vol. 14: Vermilion Parish Preparedness Plan for Emergency     Operations, Civil Defense, Area 6, State of Louisiana     - Annex F-J
 
IV. Publications
  A. Advertisements
  [Includes advertisements for materials related to building fallout shelters, sirens, fire alarm equipment, radios, etc.]
5-05 1952-1963
5-06 1964-1969
5-07 Not Dated
5-08 Not Dated
5-09 Not Dated
   
IV. Publications
  B. Bulletins
  [Includes bulletins for civil defense topics such as fallout, preparedness, natural disasters, conferences, etc. Most bulletins are “information bulletins” produced in Battle Creek, Michigan]
5-10 1955-1961
5-11 1962-1965
5-12 1966-1967
5-13 1968
5-14 1969
5-15 1970-1977
5-16 Not Dated
 
IV. Publications
  C. Pamphlets
    [Includes pamphlets, booklets, instruction manuals, and other publications on topics such as natural disasters, preparedness, vehicles, fallout, etc.]
5-17 1942-1944
5-18 1951-1959
5-19 1960
5-20 1961
 
V. Photographs
6-07 Hurricane Audrey, 1957
7-01 Kaplan Tornado, 1976
7-02 Flood, 1980
7-03 Natural Disaster Aftermath
  [Includes photos from Hurricane Camille (1969) and area photos taken by the Louisiana Air National Guard. Also includes 2 CDs with images from Natural Disaster Aftermath in Vermilion Parish. Discs were photocopies of images from scrapbooks compiled by Vermilion Parish Civil Defense Office]
7-04 EOS Exercise
7-05 Other
  [Includes photos of “Student Government Day” held in the Civil Defense Control Room, photos of Erath Fire Department trucks, and miscellaneous photos.]
 
VI. Newspaper Clippings
7-06 Hurricane Carla, 1961
7-07 Hurricane Hilda, 1964
7-08 Hurricane Betsy, 1965
  [Includes fiche “Louisiana National Guard vs. Hurricane Betsy”]
7-09 Hurricane Gilbert, 1988
7-10 Hurricane Andrew, 1992
7-11 Other
     
  Scrapbooks
11-05 Vol. 15: Newspaper Clippings and Photographs Related to Hurricanes, Natural Disaster Relief, and Red Cross in Abbeville, LA, 1957
11-06 Vol. 16: Newspaper Clippings Related to Deaths and City Damage for Hurricane Hilda (1 of 2), 1964
11-07 Vol. 16: Newspaper Clippings Related to Deaths and City Damage for Hurricane Hilda (2 of 2), 1964
 
VII. Oversize
Box 8 Oversize box contains large Civil Defense decals most likely used on the side of Civil Defense vehicles
   
Map Case 40-03 Newspaper: “Louisiana National Guard vs. Hurricane Betsy”