WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- An effort across the United States is under way to make emergency preparedness so easy to understand, children can explain it to their parents.

   The homeland security instruction -- such as a weekly class in Washington-area schools -- is an effort to get families to prepare emergency kits and plan for disasters, The Washington Post reported Wednesday. And the message to children is spread through cartoons, Disney shows, rap music, games, even a first-responder camp.

   Disaster lessons for kids go back a long way. In the 1950s, Bert the Turtle prepared students for a nuclear strike in the "Duck and Cover" film. Later, the Federal Emergency Management Agency distributed Sesame Street earthquake kits.

   Why make elementary-age children the messenger?

   Officials point out children are the ones who harangued their parents to recycle, wear seat belts and stop smoking in previous nationwide campaigns.

   "We're hoping the kids will go home and talk about what's happening in their classrooms," said Dyonicia Brown of Serve DC, the agency running the city's program. "That will give us one more advantage to make sure the District of Columbia is prepared."

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