Systems analysis principles are used to develop a hypothetical but not infeasible fire defense of a metropolitan area under nuclear attack conditions. This is defined as being equivalent to the urbanized area listed by the Bureau of the Census. The peacetime defense elements are reviewed together with their normal requirements and constraints. The system is then examined under nuclear attack conditions, with new requirements and constraints. It is concluded, that with citizen participation in thermal hardening, adequate command, and appropriate procedures, there is a reasonable degree of fire defense possible in an attack situation. Cf. Abstract, p. iii.

"February 1969."

The systems analysis approach to fire defense -- Systems analysis - definition and concepts -- Systems analysis of fire defense : defining the function -- Systems analysis of fire defense : effect of environments - - Constraints upon a fire defense system -- Limitations in a systems analysis approach -- Describing a metropolitan area -- Indices of metropolitan character and area -- Demographic considerations associated with metropolitan areas -- Political boundaries in a metropolitan area -- A metropolitan area model -- Elements of a normal peacetime fire defense -- Action of the population as individuals in their own interest -- Collective actions in fire defense -- Rescue and other public services -- Legal considerations -- Analyzing the effects of a nuclear attack -- Area coverage -- Types and degrees of damage -- Demands placed on the fire defense -- Electromagnetic pulse damage -- Other communications problems : ionization -- Sequential nuclear attacks -- Effect of a nuclear attack upon existing fire defenses -- General considerations -- Individual actions in an attack situation -- Group actions in a postattack fire situation -- Thermal hardening measures -- Rescue considerations -- Communications aspects -- Feasibility of a fire defense system for nuclear attack conditions -- Feasibility of smoke screen protection -- Self-help as a fire defense element -- Acceptability of a metropolitan fire department organization -- Setting up an emergency command organization -- Operability of fire defense forces : postattack -- Effect of various shelter postures - - Meeting a conflagration situation.