Whump, whump, whump…
The unmistakable sound of a helicopter grows louder and louder although it remains invisible due to cloud cover until the last few seconds before landing.
The Life flight unit has made another emergency trip to Sweet Home. This time the crew’s destination is a two car head-on crash at Husky Field.
Bodies are strewn about the scene and one SHHS student has already been pronounced dead by the Sweet Home Paramedics who has begun treatment of several students who were badly injured but are thankfully, alive.
Fortunately for all involved, this “accident” was a staged event designed to provide the 800 or so members of the SHHS student body with a first hand look at the dangers posed by drinking and driving.
The crash was coordinated by science instructor Rob Younger, who has also been a member of the Sweet Home fire department and rescue team for more than 20 years.
“We want you to make good choices,” Younger said, as he held a microphone to his fire department radio and the students heard a Sweet Home Police dispatcher put out the call about the accident.
In minutes, police officers and paramedics were on the scene, lights flashing and sirens blaring. They found a small pickup and car, and students with plenty of fake blood, some inside vehicles and others outside.
The driver of the pickup played by Troy Scott, was given and failed a field sobriety test. Officers handcuffed him and placed him in a squad car.
Paramedics set about stabilizing victims and the rescue team used power equipment to cut the roof off the pickup to remove badly injured passenger Chad Emmert.
One patient was loaded into the Life flight helicopter. At the close of the program, Life flight staffers invited students to take a look inside the unit and to ask questions.
“This scene is the beginning of another nightmare for us,” said Don Gerig, trauma nurse coordinator at Lebanon Community Hospital and a 30 year staff member. “You see where those trees used to be (the Sweet Home Junior High). Well, that’s how it would be for the family and friends you would leave behind. You would be gone from their life and they’d never see you again.”
Gerig urged the young people to make decisions that are smart. He said the use of seatbelts has made a dramatic difference in the number of accident victims who survive.
“We don’t want to see you where I work,” Gerig said.
Athletic director Larry Johnson, who helped found the local rescue unit in 1980, told students he remembers nearly every major accident, including where it occurred, who was involved, type of injuries, which members of the rescue team were called out and the weather conditions.
He said some of the students will be involved in serious accidents through no fault of their own, as was his wife, Candy, who was hit by a drunk driver several years ago.
“My wife faces that reality every day,” Johnson said. “No one deserves for you to take risks that could involve their life.”
Log truck driver Dick Reynolds, a popular coach for many of the students over the years, offered advice about driving safely and defensively. Sweet Home students live in an area where they encounter large, loaded vehicles on a daily basis.
Those vehicles can’t stop on a dime, Reynolds advised them. Whether following, or in front of a loaded vehicle, give trucks a wide berth, Reynolds said.
“Our goal for this program, held once every four years, is to allow our students a real and dramatic experience with a powerful effect,” Rob Younger summarized. “We want the students to examine personal goals, values and choices and the consequences of those choices (good and bad). Life is what you make it.”
Among the many persons involved in the presentation were:
Rice Towing and fire fighter Guy Smith who arranged for the vehicles.
Don Gerig, trauma nurse coordinator at LCH.
Mike Beaver, fire chief.
Sgt. Jason VanEck, police/dispatch coordination. Officers Jason Ogden and Malcolm McAlpine.
Dick Reynolds, log truck owner/operator.
Larry Johnson, athletic director and guest speaker.
Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance crew members and the year they graduated from SHHS: Mike Beaver, 1972; Guy Smith, 1983; Tim Walker, 1979; Dave Barringer, 1986; Roy Gaskey, 1964; Josh Marvin, 2001; Rodger Lancaster, 1996; Jake Thompson, 1991; Jared Richey, Lebanon 1997; Kevin Pettner, Lebanon, 1994; Dave Trask, 1968; Ken Weld, 1990; Ryan Trask, 1993; Dave Blalock, Lowene Blalock, Chris Johnson, Corey Brown, 1995; Mike Carpenter, 1987; Kevin Domes, Arnie Anderson, 1975; George Virtue, 1994; Brent Gaskey, 1991; Joy Claborn, Doug Shank, Dennis Huenergardt, Wes Strubhar, 1986; Randy Whitfield, 1980; Rob Spears, 1983; Jim Rice, 1970; Brian Koehne; and Dennis Williamson.
Students included Troy Scott, Chad Emmert, Brian Seward, Tyler Emmert, Paris Ramsey, Jared Huenergardt, Becky Wilson, Jon Pepple, Ricky Stock and Ryan Smothers.
Statistics
Motor Vehicle Accidents
MVAs are the leading cause of death for ages 15-24, more than 50 percent of these accidents are alcohol related. In 2000, there were 41,821 MVA deaths in the U.S. or one every 18 minutes.
In 2001 there were 494 traffic deaths in Oregon.
During operation Desert Storm, there were 279 military deaths compared with 22,485 MVA deaths during the same time period.
Drinking and driving
Drunk driving is the leading cause of teenage deaths.
40-50% of all fatal accidents involve alcohol.
16,653 people were killed in 2000 due to alcohol related accidents.
Speeding
43% of all MVAs involve speeding.
In 2000, some 12,350 deaths were due to excessive speeding.
Seat belts
If you are thrown out of a vehicle, chances of dying increase 25 times.