DURING THE EARLY HOURS OF AUGUST 9, 1971, MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE FROM REPUBLICAN (CATHOLIC) AREAS THROUGHOUT NORTHERN IRELAND WERE INTERNED WITHOUT TRIAL UNDER THE SPECIAL POWERS ACT. WITHIN HOURS, MANY PARTS OF THE PROVINCE HAD ERUPTED IN VIOLENT REACTION. BARRICADES WERE ERECTED AND EXTENSIVE RIOTING BROKE OUT IN PARTS OF BELFAST, LONDONDERRY, AND LURGAN. FORCIBLE EVICTION OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES FROM STREETS AND HOMES WAS COMMON, AND A SERIOUS REFUGEE PROBLEM AROSE. A WELFARE CRISIS WAS CREATED WHICH LASTED FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS. THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF SOCIAL SERVICES ESSENTIALLY COLLAPSED DURING THIS PERIOD, AND THE ONLY PEOPLE ABLE TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE RELIEF WERE THOSE WHO LIVED IN THE AFFECTED AREAS. SINCE IN MOST CASES GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WERE UNABLE TO OPERATE IN THESE AREAS, THEIR NORMAL FUNCTIONS COULD NOT BE PERFORMED. A DISTURBING FEATURE OF THE EMERGENCY WAS THE FAILURE OF THESE AGENCIES TO FIND ANOTHER RELEVANT ROLE. THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMISSION, A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED IN 1969 TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS IN BELFAST, LONDONDERRY, AND DUNGANNON TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THOSE IN DISTRESS AND THE STATUTORY AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TRYING TO HELP, ESSENTIALLY FILLED A GAP LEFT BY THE INACTIVITY OF THE WELFARE DEPARTMENTS. THE LESSON OF THE COMMISSION'S EMERGENCY OPERATION IS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR AGENCIES TO DISCOVER A RELEVANT ROLE IN TIME OF EMERGENCY, IF THE WILL AND ABILITY TO ADAPT TO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE PRESENT. CHANGES HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED BY WELFARE DEPARTMENTS AS A RESULT OF THE 1971 EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY SUPPLIES FORMERLY CENTRALIZED IN THE INTEREST OF BUREAUCRATIC CONTROL HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO COMMUNITY EMERGENCY CENTERS. IT HAS ALSO BEEN DETERMINED THAT EXISTING COMMUNITY GROUPS SHOULD BE MORE WIDELY SUPPORTED IN THE EVENT OF FUTURE EMERGENCIES AND THAT CONTINGENCY PLANS SHOULD BE DRAWN UP ON A LOCAL RATHER THAN A CENTRALIZED BASIS. (RCB)