 |
|
|
|
Photograph by Douglas Rider
Santa Clara County firefighters work to free a victim from the back seat of one of the cars used in the 'Every 15 Minutes' presentation on March 20 at Homestead High School. The simulation was set up to portray what it is like at an accident scene caused by a drunken driver.
Students take sip of grim reality
'Every 15 Minutes' program graphically shows dangers of drinking and driving
By George Moore
Juniors and seniors at Homestead High School gathered for an outdoor assembly March 20 that was designed to make them think twice before getting behind the wheel of an automobile if they have been drinking alcohol.
"Today is all about the kids and trying to help them to understand not only about the consequences of drinking and driving, but also the effects of the choices they make," said Kara Butler, assistant principal at Homestead. "This hopefully will show them just how many people one person's choice can affect."
More than 950 students took their seats in bleachers as a grim reaper roamed slowly and silently around what would soon be revealed as the simulation of a grisly car accident.
The voice of a dispatcher blared over the loudspeaker, simulating radio response calls to the mock emergency as a tarp was removed, revealing the aftermath of a head-on collision. Empty beer bottles were strewn on the ground near the crumpled vehicles. The "dead" and "injured" lay in various positions in and around the wreckage. Only one person--the driver of one of the vehicles--was on his feet and stumbling around in a daze. He was eventually "arrested" for driving under the influence and taken to jail.
The scene was only part of a two-day event known as "Every 15 Minutes" program. One of the leading causes of death among teenagers is alcohol-related car accidents. Every 15 minutes another person is injured or killed in an alcohol-related incident in the United States. Close to 40 volunteers from several agencies volunteered their time and equipment to the program.
During two class periods, 18 students were pulled from their classes--one every 15 minutes--by the grim reaper. Earlier that morning, officer Dave Falletta, neighborhood resource officer for Sunnyvale Public Safety, and several other officers delivered mock death notifications to parents of the 18 students as part of the program.
"The parents knew beforehand that we were coming, but they still get quite upset," Falletta said. "Being a parent, I know how they feel."
Falletta said the event is a real eye opener, because when a person who is killed could actually be your friend, it really hits home. He called it a great program for the teens because their lives are just beginning and so many doors are opening up for them.
A motorcycle cop was first to arrive at the scene, followed by more police officers, fire engines and ambulances. A sobriety test was given to the driver of one of the vehicles--the driver of the other vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. The roof was cut off one of the cars to free an injured person trapped inside. The injured were strapped to gurneys and taken away in ambulances to Valley Medical Center--the dead were taken by a coroner to the county morgue. The one person who escaped the crash with only minor injuries was booked into the county jail for drunken driving.
Deputy Rich Thiemann of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office reported on how many people were involved in the crash. Thiemann said the passenger riding with the drunk driver was ejected through the front windshield and was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the backseat of the same vehicle had major injuries, including glass protruding from her forehead. The driver of the other vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, and the passenger suffered multiple injuries.
"All of the emergency personnel, the parents, the friends that knew people involved with the accident--those are the people who are going to be most affected by one person's choice," Butler said. "Hopefully, this will help them to understand and make better choices as adults."
The "dead" students, including the ones pulled from their classrooms, all spent the night at the Los Altos Jesuit Retreat. At a mock funeral at the high school's gymnasium the next morning, three parents read open letters they had written to their lost children and three "dead" students read letters to their parents.
"It was extremely emotional," said Butler, who received much feedback from students at the high school. "It affected them in many ways, depending on past experiences."
Rebecca Ellis, a senior who lives in Sunnyvale, said she doesn't drive, but thought the program helped students to comprehend how scary and common alcohol-related accidents really are.
"For something to happen like this every 15 minutes is mind boggling," Ellis said.
Senior Priya Prasad of Los Altos said it was a really good message that they were trying to give to the students.
"I'm glad that they're putting in the effort, because some people really need it," he said.
|
|
|
|
Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
