Simulated DUII crash stuns students
/The events are simulated but the emotions are real - Warning, images are graphic
Operation Prom Night, a staged DUII car crash to teach teens the reality of drinking and driving. April 29, 2019 (Image, Brian Gailey / Klamath Falls News)
Over 1000 students from Mazama, Hosanna and Lost River High Schools watched as Operation Prom Night told a graphic story of a DUII crash. They saw events unfold right in front of them on Viking Field today.
“Operation Prom Night, a non profit community based organization is putting on a scenario that demonstrates what happens when people drive impaired or distracted,” said Morgan Lindsay, PIO for Operation Prom Night. “Specifically the scenario today involves, several teenagers that have driven while intoxicated on prom night and they are going to crash into a teacher and other students.”
KCSO Deputy Shasta Peterson checks on a victim, played by Maddy Lease, at Operation Prom Night 2019. April 29, 2019 (Image, Brian Gailey / Klamath Falls News)
The Events are Simulated
The story begins innocent enough, with a group of friends having a great time at Mazama’s prom. The story takes a tragic turn when the group leaves prom early, proceeds to get drunk, and attempts to drive back to prom. They collide with a teacher from their school, who was distracted by her cell phone.
Student actors from Mazama (Jake Healy, Maddy Lease, Trevor Thomas, Jazmine Tucker-Coon, Jennifer Ojeda, Juliana Brancacio, and Jayce Fenner) were accompanied by responding agencies involved in the simulation, including; Klamath County Fire District 1, Klamath County Fire District 4, Chiloquin Fire, Oregon State Police, Basin Ambulance, Klamath Falls City Police, Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, Airlink, Sky Lakes Medical Center, O’Hair’s Funeral Chapel, and Oregon Department of Transportation, among others.
The agencies treated the simulation as if it were a real head on collision. Showing the student audience what really happens at a crash site.
First responders came into the scene with lights and sirens blazing.
EMT’s from the Fire District 1, Fire District 4, and Basin Ambulance extricated passengers from crushed cars, and provided medical attention to the injured. KCSO Deputy Shasta Petersen, conducted a field sobriety test and arrest of Jake Healy, who played the drunk driver. Troopers from the Oregon State Police collected evidence and conducted crash reconstruction. Airlink landed on the field and carried away one of the crash victims, portrayed by Jasmine Tucker-Coon.
Operation Prom Night 2019. First responders kneel over a victim played by Maddy Lease and offer a prayer. April 29, 2019 (Image, Brian Gailey / Klamath Falls News)
The Emotion is Real
When a real crash happens like the one simulated today, many people are affected. Not only the occupants of the vehicles troubled but also the first responders, paramedics, firefighters, police, doctors, triage staff, parents, and siblings. They all feel the effects of a poor mistake.
Students react to Operation Prom Night, April 29, 2019 (Image by, Brian Gailey / Klamath Falls News)
Long after the physical pain has stopped, these heroes carry a major weight on their shoulders with undue stress and crippling depression. First responders will often participate in a debriefing following the crash to heal the emotional damage and family members may take years to recover following the loss of a child or sibling.
When a life is lost in a crash, first responders often kneel over the dead and say a prayer.
“What Operation Prom Night really seeks to do is to prevent prevent people from driving impaired, to prevent people from riding with impaired drivers, and also to encourage people to wear with their seat belts,” says Lindsay.
