Department of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (Nikolia)
| Uprava Civilne odbrane i upravljanja vanrednim situacijama (Sirmian) Department Obrany Cywilnej i Zarządzania Kryzysowego (Mazurian) | |
 Official seal | |
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | July 12, 1986 |
| Preceding agency |
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| Jurisdiction | Federal Government of Nikolia |
| Headquarters | Carigrad,  Nikolia |
| Employees | 6,360; 358,000 volunteers |
| Annual budget | $621 million USD |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executives |
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| Parent department | Federal Ministry for Internal Affairs |
| Website | couvs |
The Department of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (Sirmian: Uprava Civilne odbrane i upravljanja vanrednim situacijama; Mazurian: Department Obrany Cywilnej i Zarządzania Kryzysowego), commonly known as Civil Defence of Nikolia is a department within the Nikolian Federal Ministry for the Internal Affairs responsible for protection of citizens following the principles of prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation and recovery. Since its restructuring in 1986, the department is also tasked with coordination of emergency services during large-scale man-made or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, forest fires or terror attacks.
The Department, as part of a government, is led by administrative Head of the Department and the executive board appointed by the monarch of Nikolia at the request of the Federal Minister for Internal Affairs, whereas Head of the Department appoints his first deputy who serves as an Operative Commander of the Civil Defence units.
Most of the Civil Defence personnel are volunteers (around 358,000), mostly serving their compulsory civil service as replacement to the compulsory military service. Full-time paid employees are in notably smaller numbers (around 6,360) and they are mostly fulfilling administrative, coordinative and education roles.
History
The concept of Civil defence organisation started after the Great Astyrian War. First such organisation was founded in 1928 as Civilian Protection and Technical Recovery which helped with recoveries after major accidents and as a local militia in case of war. After the GAW2, with growing tensions in the region, proliferation of nuclear weapons and subsequent arms war, the Department for Civil and Territorial Defence was formed in 1951 with the purpose of organising citizen response to war and natural destruction. The first department had two subdepartments: Civil defence was primarily tasked with civilian protection by providing education, organising and maintaining bomb shelters, providing personal protection equipment such as gas masks and such, whereas the territorial defence subdepartment was organised in a form of a reserve militia force to the Nikolian Armed Forces.
With growing issues with balancing the military and civilian part of the Department for Civil and Territorial Defence, the Federal Government decided to split the department in 1986, forming the Homeland Guard from the Territorial Defence, and establishing Department of Civil Defence and Emergency Management from the civilian part of the latter department.