Duck and Cover
If you grew up in the Cold War years of the 1950's and 1960's, you probably remember "duck-and-cover" drills in school. The practice of ducking under a desk to mitigate the effects of a potential nuclear blast remains a core memory of childhood.
But where did "Duck and Cover" come from?
It all began during the "Blitz" of London in World War II when British prime minister, Stanley Baldwin, published a circular entitled Air Raid Precautions.
A census held in November 1940 discovered that the majority of people in London did not use specially created shelters. Sixty percent slept in their own homes.
Morrison Table
Ellen Wilkinson, a British MP, with no formal rescue training, was made responsible for air raid shelters and was instrumental in the introduction of the Morrison Shelter in March 1941.
Named after Herbert Morrison, the Minister of Home Security at the time, the shelters were made of very heavy steel and could be put in the living room and used as a table. One wire side lifted up for people to crawl underneath and get inside. Very much like a crab trap. Morrison shelters were fairly large and provided sleeping space for two or three people.
Cold War
When the Cold War began those in the Department of Defence in the United States had to have a survival "plan" for the American people. Something to make them feel "secure" in case of a nuclear attack.
They drew on what they knew. They had been to England, fought during WWII, and drew on their experiences from there and "Duck and Cover" became part of the American Cold War survival doctrine minus the Morrison table. After all, Ducking and Covering under a Morrison table did save lives, they had heard in on the BBC and read it in all the British papers, therefore it must be true.
FEMA
In 1979 President Carter merged many of the separate disaster-related responsibilities into the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Among the agencies and responsibilities FEMA absorbed was the Civil defense responsibilities which were transferred to the new agency from the Defense Department's (DoD) Defense Civil Preparedness Agency.
Governments, by their very nature, hate retractions. They will smoke screen, side step and fuzzify before they will admit a mistake.
Consider the number of possible lawsuits for criminal negligence(1) causing injury or death if FEMA and the agencies supporting "Duck and Cover" were to change their stand on "Duck and Cover".
Void Space
Opponents to the "Triangle of Life" as a survival technique during an earthquake have stated the following:
"If there is no nearby space beneath a table or other furniture that can provide protection from these objects, then you should get next to a large piece of furniture such as a sofa, cover your head, and hold on to the furniture when it moves. If there is no furniture, get next to an interior wall if possible. If you are in bed, the best thing to do is to stay where you are and cover your head with a pillow.
Survivors are usually found in spaces large enough for a human within the collapse debris, called "Survivable Void Space." It can be as large as an adult, or in the case of small children or infants, a very small space."
"Identifying potential "void areas" and planning on using them for earthquake protection as suggested by the "Triangle of Life" may be the best thing to teach in countries where the risk of building collapse, even in moderate earthquakes, is great.
The Red Cross, states that if you are in bed when an earthquake happens, to remain there. Rolling out of bed may lead to being injured by debris on the floor next to the bed."
Author's Note:It can be assumed from their "front line" experiences that they have observed and verified that the falling debris will magically miss the bed.
"Identifying potential "void areas" and planning on using them for earthquake protection is more difficult to teach, and hard to remember for people who are not educated in earthquake engineering principles. The Red Cross is not saying that identifying potential voids is wrong or inappropriate."
Author's Note: Are they calling the average person stupid? "more difficult to teach, and hard to remember for people who are not educated in earthquake principles" but they do seem to be supportive of FEMA's "Duck and Cover" doctrine because it's easy for stupid people to remember. You be the judges. It is your life. Make the choice that is best for you.
WWII Press Release
For Press and Broadcast
Morrison Shelters in Recent Air Raids
A report of Ministry of Home Security reports on 39 cases of bombing incidents in different parts of Britain covering all those for which full particulars are available in which the Morrison shelters were involved show how well they have stood up to severe tests of heavy bombing.
All the incidents were serious. Many of the incidents involved direct hits on the houses concerned a risk against which it was never claimed these shelters would offer protection. In all of them the houses in which shelters were placed were within the radius of damage by bombs; in 24 there was complete demolition of the house on the shelter.
A hundred and nineteen people were sheltered in these "Morrisons" and only four were killed. So that 115 of 119 people were saved. Of these only 7 were seriously injured and 14 slightly injured while 94 escaped uninjured. The majority were able to leave their shelters unaided.
Tea Anyone?
"By the way, did you remember to feed the canary?"
Cartoon showing a Morrison shelter in May, 1941
Government Photos
These photos are from the British Government's site The Learning Curve
None of the occupants of these two badly damaged bungalows were hurt. They were all taking cover under their Morrison table shelters.
