NBCHS Hosts a Mock Accident

Thursday, May 25, Northern Bedford County High School hosted a mock accident sponsored by the Southern Cove Volunteer Fire Company, the Southern Cove Ambulance Service, and the Northern Bedford County SADD Chapter.

The purpose of this event was to make students think about drinking, driving, personal safety and the responsibility of mature decision-making when their lives and lives of others are involved.

A simulated traffic accident was staged on the school grounds. Participants had theatrical make-up done by the local emergency services to enhance the realism. The collision was staged in front of the 11th and 12th grade students. Law enforcement and the emergency services were all on hand for the realistic demonstration of the rescue.

The mock accident had one fake fatality: a female student who "died" on the scene.

Another student was given a sobriety test, placed under "arrest" and put in the police car. Two female students were placed in a wrecked vehicle and high-powered rescue equipment was used demonstrating cutting a roof off the cars and taking the doors off.

Blair Dively Towing from New Enterprise donated two tow trucks for this event.

Angie Blanchard started this program as her senior project in 2018. This program has remained the same and is presented every two years to the students.

Tina Walter, who coordinated the event, reminded the students to not drink and to "think about what would happen if you made the decision to drink. Put yourself in this situation and how you would feel if you killed a friend or stranger in another vehicle."

The scenario that was that it was graduation night and one group was headed to Raystown and stopped to pick up some beer. They got "buzzed" and started heading back. The other group went to the movies. You can imagine what took place: the driver crossed the line, hitting another vehicle. One person was ejected and one died on the scene. Her friends tried to revive her by doing CPR to no avail.

MEDVAC came on the scene and THE victim was loaded into the helicopter. The students were able to view the helicopter inside and listen to the advice of the crew.

The State Police Officer explained that evidence must be preserved. In some cases, a drone is flown over the scene to gather more information. Cell phones and computers from the car will be investigated. Officer Rhymestine enforced the fact that he has seen "thousands of accidents and seat belts definitely save lives."

Chief Darrell Ritchey also spoke briefly to the students.

Walter introduced a couple of newly graduated EMS workers. She emphasized you must have the training and you are eligible to go in the ambulance for calls on your own once you are 18. Otherwise, you must be with a senior member.

There are six students at NBCHS who participate now and the firefighters and ambulance crews are always in need of new people. If you do not want to be an ENT, they need others to help by driving the ambulance, helping serve food after an event and many other jobs. Scholarship money is used to pay for classes.

Mennonites are a major part of this community, and they are very much involved in the fire company and the ambulance company. Equipment had gotten very expensive so help your fire company and ambulance company by participating in fundraisers.