What is a Duck and Cover Drill?
For millions of people who grew up during the Cold War era, a drill known as “Duck and Cover” was just as familiar as a school fire or tornado drill is today. Students were urged to duck under their desks and cover their heads to protect themselves from the dangerous debris and radiation associated with a nuclear detonation. The federal government even sponsored a short educational film called “Duck and Cover” which featured Bert, an animated turtle with a civil defense helmet, and various schoolchildren demonstrating the proper way to duck and cover in case of an atomic bomb.
