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“Jacci was an awesome light in my life ─ curious, tenacious, passionate and funny. Her laughter was contagious.” These are the words spoken by a mother in remembrance of her 17-year-old daughter killed in a drunken driving car accident on prom night. Although a staged performance, part of this year’s Mock Crash event held April 26 (2006), these words are just the type parents don’t want to have to say.
Back in 2003, out of concern for prom safety, Hudson High School parent advisory board and Lori Poppe, board member and Hudson Hospital & Clinics employee at the time, suggested that the community host a Mock Crash event as other schools had done. Because it was so successful, and an outstanding example of community collaboration in support of the high school, Hudson Hospital & Clinics once again supported this year’s event.
“A picture is worth a thousand words” and nothing is more powerful to a young, impressionable mind. Hosting such an event, just a few nights before prom, is an attempt to make a lasting impression upon viewers. Hudson High School, Hudson Hospital & Clinics, emergency services and local businesses teamed up to give students a “crash course” on the consequences of drunken and careless driving.
The day’s event unfolded with 1,000 Hudson High School onlookers in attendance. Alerted by a frantic 911 call (student actors), Hudson police, fire and ambulance personnel responded to a mock head-on collision staged in a parking lot across the street from the high school. Tarps were removed from two mangled cars revealing
“bloodied” teenagers inside, as well as a girl who had been “thrown” from one of the vehicles. Students were intrigued by the number of emergency personnel involved in responding to a car accident with injuries and death ─ police, fire, paramedics, St. Croix County Medical Examiner, the local funeral home, and the Life Link medical transport helicopter, which carried off the most critical passenger, Jacci. They were also amazed at how long it took to free victims from the wreckage.
Once back in the school gym, the setting changed to a hospital emergency room. The hospital’s trauma team demonstrated the efforts needed to attempt to save Jacci’s life had the trauma been real. Trauma team members included two emergency room physicians, a nurse, respiratory therapist, and trauma coordinator, Lynn Nelson. Lynn is responsible for community education on trauma prevention and a committee member for this year’s Mock Crash event.
“Mock Crash is just one example of our community involvement. Everyone volunteers their time in addition to service and material donations, which are all needed to make this event happen. The use of actual emergency room equipment lends credibility to the re-enactment,” said Lynn.
A flat line monitor and removal of sterile gloves indicated to the audience that Jacci had died. Organizers of Mock Crash hope they have impressed upon students the importance of making positive choices when it comes to drinking and driving, wearing seatbelts, and riding with people under the influence. Upper classmen thought it was a pretty powerful presentation. One student later remarked how he thought about the presentation on prom night and took the car keys from an intoxicated friend. Another remarked on how her group of friends chose not to drink and drive that night. And yet another girl reported calling her parents for a ride home when her boyfriend, who wasn’t going to drink – got drunk. Younger students, who aren’t driving yet, couldn’t relate to it as well, but that’s the reason for an event repeat every three years.
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