Civil Defense: One in Five Getting Ready

Despite a widespread assumption that Americans are apathetic about civil defense, the Gallup poll revealed this week that a surprising number of people are preparing for atomic attack. Reported the poll: 12 million U.S. families have already done something to get ready. The poll’s breakdown indicates that 9,000,000 families have stored food away for such an emergency. Still another 3,000,000 have altered their homes to provide a measure of protection. Some have reinforced basements; others have built fallout shelters. Thus one out of every five U.S. families has taken some action—just double the number found in a similar poll about a year ago.