EVERY 15 MINUTES A PERSON IS KILLED IN A DRUNK DRIVING RELATED COLLISION.
Rockville Volunteers have made it their goal to help reduce the chance of injury or death from alcohol related collisions. This week, RVFD members participated in the “Every 15 Minutes” Program at Quince Orchard High School. Over the past 20 years the RVFD has participated in this very important program at every high school within our response area.
During the program students are placed in a mock auto collision depicting the traumatic effects of driving under the influence. In the collision scenario, one student is arrested and charged with DUI, a second student is pronounced dead on the scene, and other students are transported to the hospital with “traumatic” injuries.
Students involved in the collision must present to their peers at an all school assembly the following day, their experiences from the incident. Every 15 minutes throughout the first day, a student is pulled from class and their obituary is read to their classmates, simulating the frequency and the tragedy of deaths from DUI collisions.
Students removed from class are then made up as the “living-dead” and are not allowed to communicate with their peers for the 24 hours.
Since its inception, the program has been statistically proven to have reduced the number of alcohol related deaths in teens. RVFD and its members are pleased to participate in this program every year.
Photos by Ed Tenney – RVFD
View this video created by students at QOHS:
