With the Cold War, preparations for air raids existed long past the end of World War II. Here, the city's Civil Defense Director, Arthur W. Wallander, right, and other city officials stand near the decibel meter in City Hall Plaza, January 27, 1951, as they listen to first of weekly Saturday noon air raid siren tests in the city since May 1945. Five thousand city employees were on duty as observers and submitted reports on Jan. 29 on how well they heard the 13-minute test of 803 stationary and mobile sirens throughout the five boroughs. In group from left to right are: Walter J. Detmar of the Department of Public Works; Bernard Cohn of the Comptroller’s office; Joseph P. Picirillo, Welfare Department Deputy Commissioner, and Wallander. A city engineer said falling snow muffled the sound of the blasts.
Photo: Tom Fitzsimmons for the AP
