Fake accident, real emotion
St. Kevin’s High School students learn consequences of impaired driving
Goulds Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Kenny O’reilly escorts a grieving parent from the scene of an impaired driving fatal collision on the Back Line in the Goulds are of St. John’s Tuesday morning after she arrived there and saw a loved one “deceased” as a result of the accident. Actually, the scene was acted by Connie Chiasson, a student assistant at St. Kevin’s High School during the mock disaster to simulate the effects of impaired driving by alcohol, drugs and/or texting while driving. The incident involved members of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, Eastern Health paramedics and a hearse from Barrett’s Funeral Home who removed the “deceased” from the scene, all of which was played out on the parking lot of the school on the Back Line involving several victims and one student handcuffed and arrested” for impaired driving and placed in an RNC cruiser.
At St. Kevin’s High School in the Goulds on Tuesday morning, students and staff got a first-hand introduction to what it would be like to experience the devastation of an impaired driving head-on collision, portrayed in a mock accident on the school’s parking lot.
The event was staged with the co-operation of the school’s students and staff, first responders from the Goulds Volunteer Fire Department, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC), Eastern Health Paramedics and Barrett’s Funeral Home.
Portraying the accident victims were students Elizabeth Johnson, 16, Grade 11 and Madison Layden, 18, Grade 12. Jared Rees, 17, Grade 12 and Bradley Hodder, 17, Grade 11, played the roles of a driver arrested for impaired driving and a deceased passenger, respectively.
When the signal was given to respond to the scene, the wailing of sirens could be heard from the responding fire trucks, ambulance and police vehicles.
Student teaching assistant Connie Chiasson played the role of a grieving mother who broke through the onlookers and rushed to the car to see “her deceased son” in the passenger seat.
The parking lot fell silent as a hearse from Barrett’s Funeral Home pulled into the parking lot and the back door swung open, a stretcher and body bag removed. Firefighters carried the “deceased” from the smashed-up vehicle into the body bag, zippered it up, then placed the student actor into the car and drove away.
A few of the students could be seen sobbing at that moment, and at the same time the first responders looked on in “shock and disbelief.”
Shortly before, the “impaired driver” was placed in handcuffs
and into the back of the RNC patrol unit.
Following the mock exercise, students and staff gathered in the gymnasium for a debriefing on the scenario.
Former St. Kevin’s High School student and now Eastern Health paramedic Jim Lynch spoke to the students about his real-life experiences in dealing with impaired driving accidents.
RNC Const. Jenna Hawkins, also a former student, spoke of what she has experienced as a front-line street patrol officer.
Hawkins reiterated the importance of not drinking and driving.
The gymnasium was in silence as first responders spoke.
As this is the senior year for many students at the school, speakers also said students should enjoy their upcoming high school graduation and not to be impaired in any way.
Deputy chief of the Goulds Volunteer Fire Department Gerry Antle said the intent of the exercise is for students to
realize what happens when people drive impaired.
“We came here today to create a scenario as real as possible for the kids from start to finish of the ramifications of impaired driving by alcohol, drugs or texting,” he said.