A mock accident demonstration by the Estevan Comprehensive School's SADD (students against drunk driving) chapter served as an excellent training exercise for Estevan emergency response teams around noon on June 5.
Estevan Police Service, emergency medical services attendants and Fire Rescue Services all congregated at the school's western parking lot area in response to the mock-up disaster scene that involved two vehicles, one impaired driver and five victims.
As dozens of ECS students looked on, the EPS triage team determined there were two deceased at the scene since they were the first to arrive at the accident site. Events rolled out from that point as the local law enforcement took one driver into custody and rejoined EMS personnel in assessing the injuries of others. The arrival of the Fire Rescue teams, their extrication equipment and then a coroner moved events along as the victims were removed from the two-car wreckage.
The process of victim and body removals took a total of 49 minutes.
ECS SADD members conduct a mock accident scene once every four years so that each rotation of students through the Grade 9 to 12 school are able to observe and learn.
"It can get rather dramatic really," said Whitney Gervais, president of the local chapter who participated in the drill as one of the blood-spattered victims.
"I just hope the students who were out watching this demonstration take away some reality lessons because you never know what will happen, and when it comes to drunk drivers, you have to be prepared," said Heather Findlay, the ECS staff liaison appointee to the SADD chapter.
"In Saskatchewan and countrywide, the 16 to 25-year-old group makes up 19 per cent of our population but represent 34 per cent of those involved in impaired driving incidents, so we hope a demonstration like this has an impact on them, makes them think," said Findlay.
None of the ECS students were notified about the mock-up accident as X-treme Towing service delivered the two already damaged vehicles to the supposed accident site.
"The Jaws of Life for instance, when you're in the car, the whole thing becomes loud and real. You're under one of those windows and actually begin to wonder what's real here and what isn't," said Gervais.
