Students get the message - drunk driving kills

Wanda English Burnett - Editor

After approached by Jac-Cen-Del school officials, Task Unit 1 President Jason Smith began to coordinate a “mock car crash” that would take place last Friday, May 4 at the high school.

Students lined up to see Task Unit 1 members exhibit their expertise on cutting “victims” out of a car that had been “crashed” after a “drunk” got behind the wheel. Actors made the scene real as they were covered in blood and one victim was fatally wounded. The lifeless form was lifted from the crash and transferred to a body bag in front of the eyes of the students. Rescue workers administered medical care as best they could to another “victim” in the crash as the extrication team cut the metal away. The driver, who had been “drinking too much” was taken by officers to a nearby police car to await transport to the county jail.

The scene was realistic down to calling for a helicopter to transport the “victim” who was critically injured. Members of the Osgood Volunteer Fire Department manned their post as they set up a landing zone for LifeLine helicopter to land in a grassy area just beyond the school. Firemen were on the scene of the accident ready with a fire hose just in case the crashed car would erupt into flames. They waited for the helicopter, but as it sometimes happens in a real situation, just three minutes out, the radio communication would tell the helicopter pilot did not feel it was safe to land, due to weather conditions. The “victim” then was taken by ground transport, lights and sirens blaring, to the hospital.
Several agencies took time out of their busy schedules to bring the message home to students - don’t drink and drive, better yet, don’t drink! They included: Task Unit 1, Osgood Volunteer Fire Department, Rescue 69, Indiana State Police, Osgood Police Department, and the Ripley County Sheriff’s Department.

The scene seemed real, even though the students knew it was a mock crash. Pictured, the "drunk driver" is being escorted into a police car by ISP Trooper James Wells and Osgood Town Marshal Rodney Stepleton.