Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
[singing] Dum dum, deedle dum dum, deedle dum dum, deedle dum dum
There was a turtle by the name of Bert,
and Bert the turtle was very alert.
When danger threatened him he never got hurt.
He knew just what to do.
[explosion] He'd duck and cover.
Duck and cover.
He did what we all must learn to do.
You, and you, and you, and you.
[explosion] Duck and cover!
Be sure and remember what Bert the turtle just did friends,
because every one of us must remember to do the same thing.
That's what this film is all about.
Duck and Cover
This is an official Civil Defense film,
produced in cooperation with
the Federal Civil Defense Administration and
in consultation with the Safety Commission
of the National Education Association.
Produced by Archer Productions Incorporated
Hey Bert!
Come on out, and meet all these nice people, please?
Oh alright, we really can't blame you.
You see, Bert is a very, very careful fellow.
When there's danger, this is the way he keeps from being hurt.
Sometimes, it even saves his life.
That's why these children are practicing to duck and cover
just as you do, in your school.
We all know the atomic bomb is very dangerous.
Since it may be used against us, we must get ready for it.
Just as we are ready for many other dangers
that are around us all the time.
Fire is a danger.
It can burn whole buildings, if someone is careless.
But, we are ready for fire.
We have a fine fire department to put out the fire.
And you have fire drills in your school,
so you know what to do.
Automobiles can be dangerous, too.
They sometimes cause bad accidents, but we are ready.
We have safety rules that car drivers
and people who are walking must obey.
Now, we must be ready for a new danger.
The atomic bomb.
First, you have to know what happens
when an atomic bomb explodes.
You will know when it comes.
We hope it never comes, but, we must get ready.
It looks something like this.
There is a bright flash, brighter than the sun,
brighter than anything you've ever seen.
If you are not ready,
and did not know what to do,
it could hurt you in different ways.
It could knock you down, hard, or throw you
against a tree, or a wall.
It is such a big explosion,
it can smash in buildings,
and knock signboards over,
and break windows all over town.
But, if you duck and cover, like Bert, you will be much safer.
You know how bad sunburn can feel.
The atomic bomb flash could burn you
worse than a terrible sunburn.
Especially where you are not covered.
Now, you and I don't have shells
to crawl into, like Bert the turtle.
So we have to cover up in our own way.
First, you duck, and then, you cover.
And very tightly, you cover the back of your neck, and your face.
Duck and cover underneath a table, or desk
or anything else close by.
In Betty's school they are talking about the atomic bomb, too.
Betty is asking her teacher, "How can we tell when the atomic bomb may explode?"
And her teacher is explaining that there are two kinds of attack.
With warning and without any warning.
We think that most of the time,
we would be warned before the bomb explodes.
So there would be time for us to get into
our homes, schools, or some other safe place.
Our Civil Defense Workers and our men in uniform will do everything they can
to warn us before enemy planes can bring a bomb near us.
You may be in your schoolyard playing
when the signal comes. [siren]
That signal means to stop whatever you are doing,
and get to the nearest safe place, fast!
Always remember, the flash of an atomic bomb can come at any time.
No matter where you may be.
You might be out playing at home
when the warning comes. [siren]
Then, be sure to get into the house fast!
Where your parents have fixed a safe place for you to go.
If you are not close to home when you hear
the warning, go to the nearest safe cover.
Know where you are to go or ask an older person to help you.
You know the places marked with the "S" sign?
They are safe places to go when you hear the alarm.
If there is a warning,
you will hear it before the bomb explodes.
But sometimes, and this is very, very important:
Sometimes the bomb might explode without any warning.
Then, the first thing we would know about it would be the flash,
and that means duck and cover fast, wherever you are!
There's no time to look around or wait!
Be like Bert.
When there is a flash, duck and cover, and do it fast.
Here are some older boys showing what to do
if the flash comes when you are not in the classroom.
This is what to do if you should be in a corridor.
You duck and cover tight against the wall, this way.
Remember to keep your face and the back of your neck covered tightly.
Try to fall away from windows or doors with glass in them.
Then, if the glass breaks and flies through the air, it won't cut you.
You might be eating your lunch when the flash comes,
duck and cover under the table.
Then, if the explosion makes anything
in the room fall down, it can't fall on you.
Getting ready means we will all have to be
able to take care of ourselves.
The bomb might explode when there are no grownups near.
Paul and Patty know this,
and they are always ready
to take care of themselves.
Here they are on their way to school
on a beautiful spring day.
But no matter where go, or what they do,
they always try to remember what to do
if the atom bomb explodes right then.
It's a bomb! Duck and cover!
Paul and Patty know what to do.
Paul covered the back of his head
so that he wouldn't be burned.
And Patty covered herself
with the coat she was carrying.
They knew how to duck and cover.
They acted right away when the flash came.
If they had been at this doorway when the bomb flashed,
Paul and Patty would have ducked and covered this way, like this girl.
Heavy doorways are a good place to duck and cover.
She will be safer too.
Here's Tony going to his cub scout meeting.
Tony knows the bomb can explode any time
of the year, day or night. He is ready for it.
Duck and cover!
That a boy Tony! That flash means act fast.
Tony knows that it helps to get to any kind of cover.
This wall was close by, so that's where he ducked and covered.
Tony knew what to do.
Notice how he keeps from moving
or from getting up and running,
He stays down until he is sure the danger is over.
The man helping Tony is a Civil Defense worker.
His job is to help protect us when
there is danger of the atomic bomb.
We must obey the Civil Defense worker.
We must know how to duck and cover in a
school bus, or in any other bus or streetcar.
Duck and cover!
Don't wait! Duck away from the windows, fast.
The glass may break and fly through the air and cut you.
Sundays, holidays, vacation time,
we must be ready every day, all the time,
to do the right thing if the atomic bomb explodes.
Duck and cover!
This family knows what to do,
just as your own family should.
They know that even a thin cloth helps protect them.
Even a newspaper can save you from a bad burn.
But the most important thing of all
is to duck and cover yourself,
especially where your clothes do not cover you.
No matter where we live, in the city or the country,
we must be ready all of the time for the atomic bomb.
Duck and cover!
That's the first thing to do, duck and cover.
The next important thing to do after that
is to stay covered until the danger is over.
Yes, we must all get ready now,
so we know how to save ourselves
if the atomic bomb ever explodes near us.
If you do not know just what to do,
ask your teacher when this film is over.
Discuss what you could do in different places if a bomb explodes.
Older people will help us as they always do,
but there might not be any grownups around when the bomb explodes.
Then, you are on your own.
Remember what to do, friends!
Now tell me right out loud.
What are you supposed to do when you see the flash?
Duck and Cover!
This film was produced in cooperation with the Public Schools of Astoria and New York, New York