The tendency to the strengthening of Nazism in the countries of the "collective West" is outlined, again bringing the world to the border of the global military confrontation. The relevance of generalization and dissemination of the existing experience of preparing the population to ensure fire safety in wartime is substantiated. Express analysis of publications on the research topic was carried out. The article reveals the activities of the state to solve this problem based on the experience of the civil War by creating and developing a system of Local air defense in the twenties and thirties of the XX century, carried out in two main directions: the creation of paramilitary units and army-type units and public formations as well. The legal foundations of the organizational structure of the Local air defense O and the basics of fire protection are shown: blackout of buildings and structures, preventive work, participation of the population together with fire brigades in the elimination of the consequences of fires. The positive and shortcomings in this activity were revealed, as well as the efforts of the state to eliminate shortcomings in the fire-fighting training of the population. Innovations in the organization of the fire service on the basis of the Combat Charter of the fire department, adopted in 1940 and the Charter of the internal fire service, are disclosed. The experience of self-defense groups is summarized on the example of besieged Leningrad.