The American Civil Defense Association (TACDA)

TACDA was formed in the early 1960′s in response to our nation's reliance on atomic weaponry as a centerpiece of foreign policy following World War II, up to and including the onset of the Cold War. During the Cold War, many feared a nuclear strike from the Soviet Union. In an attempt to protect American civilians, a civil defense campaign emphasizing the use of fallout shelters commenced.

In response to the Soviet’s first atomic explosion and the Korean War, the Federal Civil Defense Administration was started in 1951. American citizens now had to imagine a new kind of war, and it was the Federal Civil Defense Administration’s job to encourage citizens to adapt to their nuclear present and future. Some doubted that physical protection from a nuclear explosion would be effective. Therefore, the Federal Civil Defense Administration received a small budget and was involved in only limited construction of shelters and the publishing of publicity materials.

In 1958, a report indicating the Soviet Union was nearing the nuclear arsenal held by the U.S. forced civil defense to be a priority. Spending increased. The Federal Civil Defense Administration became the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization under President John F. Kennedy, who believed in and advocated civil defense.

The Cuban Missile Crisis, in October of 1962, resulted in a rapid, three-month program to improve civil defense, but after the administration of President Kennedy abruptly ended, civil defense was once again regarded as unimportant or wasteful and not funded adequately by our government.

The American Civil Defense Association was organized in 1962 by several individuals that recognized our country’s continued need for civil defense and the importance of personal emergency and disaster preparedness.

TACDA is a non-profit, non-political, 501(c)3 organization supported primarily by our members, the American public, and not the Federal Government.

The TACDA Academy Lesson Manual (https://tacda.org/resources/#TACDA-ACADEMY) is an emergency preparedness handbook and covers Civil Defense topics such as:

    Psychology of Civil Defense
    Nuclear Weapons Effects
    All Hazard Sheltering
    Chemical / Biological Warfare
    EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) & Power Failure
    Radiation

    Natural Disasters
    Food Storage
    Water Purification
    Sanitation
    Cold Weather Survival
    Evacuation & 72-Hour Kits

    Communications
    Alternative Energy & Fuel
    Medical Preparedness
    Triage & First Response
    Post Event Survival

The TACDA Academy was written by a collaboration of civil defense experts, scholars, military personnel, and other professionals to teach in easy to understand formats the basics of survival. This 143 page manual is a comprehensive guide to civil defense concepts and teaches in depth how to survive emergencies and disasters.

You can read the chapters in the manual by clicking on the links on the TACDA web-page, or purchase a printed copy of the manual if you choose.