This week students from SADD and PROTECT sent a message to their fellow students.  The message: Drinking and driving is a destructive choice and its consequences can kill.

Fire and police officials console the mother of one of the “victims” at Monday’s mock crash. Photo by Rebecca McDonald.

A staged car accident was held on the campus parking lot of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School and involved agencies from both Whitman and Hanson under the direction of Lieutenant Timothy Grenno of the Whitman Fire Department.

The mock rescue was completed step by step as if the accident had really occurred, and  rescue equipment, including the Jaws of Life, was used to free the entrapped victims. 

According to Grenno, Operation Safe Prom started in 1996, and the program is presented prior to prom for juniors and seniors.

“We stage a car crash with senior class members who are enroute to prom. The driver of one vehicle is drinking and driving and the result is the death of one of the girls in the second car,” he said.

Prior to the presentation, chiefs from both public safety agencies in each town spoke to the students in the auditorium about the ripple effect that the accident has on families, and all involved.

Student actors view a video tape of past presentations and work with Director of Security William Sweeney in the weeks prior to the skit to prepare. Grenno said that student actors are given information on what to expect while the skit is being performed. 

“We go over what will happen and have them come to the fire station to practice,” he said.  “In the skit we place a lifeless body in the parking lot after she has been taken from the car.  We place a sheet over her in front of the students and her parent comes and identifies her body.  It is very powerful.  It drives the point home. You could hear a pin drop.”

He also added that they have received nothing but positive feedback from students and school staff.

“It’s all about the students and how they perform and how serious they take it. The majority of the high school students take this very seriously and I think it’s good to see that they are responsible adults.”

School Safety Officers and Director of Security William Sweeney were on hand as part of Safe Prom.  

“It is such a community effort; both towns were involved,” Sweeney said.  “This is a difficult thing to do (the reenactment) and keeping kids safe.  The effort is extraordinary for both Whitman and Hanson.”

Student actors and actresses involved in the mock car accident were juniors, Ryan Stephansky, Brett Loycano, Seniors Hillary Keefe, Liz Sussky, Rebecca MacDonald, and Alison Sheppard whose character dies at the close of the program.

Stephansky’s character was the driver of the second motor vehicle.  He said that even though the scene was fake it felt like a real accident.

“I was nervous as if it was real,” he said.  “I’ve always had the same perspective about drinking and driving –it’s a destructive decision.”

Grenno also acknowledged the time and services of area businesses Auto Tech, Mike’s Auto and Village Garage who donated the “crash vehicles” and Mackinnon Funeral Home, which provided the hearse during the program.

Rebecca MacDonald oversaw makeup, and photography of the student presentation, creating fake blood, bruises and scars so each “victim” became immersed in the characters they were presenting and portraying to their classmates.

“It was kind of scary when they were cutting into the doors even though we had sheets over us,” said Liz Sussky.  “There was a lot of loud noise.  The firefighters kept talking to us so we would know what they were doing.”

Alison Sheppard’s character dies in the motor vehicle crash and exits the scene of the accident in a body bag.

She said her character’s demise may affect the decisions of other students in her class in the choice of whether to drink and drive.

Sheppard applauded the people involved with the drill and the performers.

“They did it all very well. They told us what they were doing as we went along ... when they were cutting into the car.  I believe this message will help others.”